To Change the Universe
by SecretlyVoldemort
Summary: Celeste always imagined that travelling with the Doctor would be fantastic. The sights, the sounds, the terror. However, knowing that the world of the Doctor was purely fictional, Celeste allowed her fantasies to be just that, only fantasies. But fantasies can come true and reality isn't as she ever expected. Secrets lie in every time stream and behind blue doors.
1. Rose and Celeste Pt 1

AN/Disclaimer: I do not own anything Doctor Who related except for Celeste and any other characters I create for the purposes of this story. Anyway! I've had a recent obsession with Doctor Who, although it's not really recent since I've always adored the show, and it inspired me to write something that has been in the back of my mind for awhile. Please keep in mind that this is not beta'd so I apologize in advance for anything spelled incorrectly or random grammatical errors. But enough of me blathering on. ALLONS-Y!

* * *

Celeste sighed, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears as she watched the final episode of Doctor Who season 7 unfold in front of her. She had seen the episode several times yet during each viewing she couldn't help the tears that always came. As she continued to watch, she smiled fondly as she watched Clara speaking to the Time Lords through the crack. "That girl, so plucky and so determined," she murmured to herself. Her eyes lit up as she watched the Doctor absorb the gift of the Time Lords and become whole once more.

Turning the episode off, Celeste got up from her computer and wandered over to her closet to select an outfit for the day. Tapping her chin thoughtfully for a moment, she selected a knee length flared skirt and blue fitted shirt. Throwing on the clothes, she clipped back her auburn hair and made her way downstairs to the kitchen, greeting her roommate with a soft smile. "Morning Reena."

Reena glanced up from her cereal, milk dripping from the corner of her mouth. She wiped her chin and smiled at her friend, "Morning Miss Messenger."

Celeste rolled her eyes. "I did that job for a week when we were fifteen. Why in the world do you still call me that?"

"Because every time I do you get this funny look on your face for a moment. Classic Celeste," Reena replied, her eyes twinkling.

Celeste shook her head, "Terrible. Why am I still friends with you?"

Reena fluttered her eyelashes, "You're still friends with me because I'm so pretty and smart."

Celeste snorted in amusement, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard and poured herself a bowl of cereal. Taking a few bites she glanced at the paper that was on the table. A picture of the Prime Minister shaking hands with the President of the United States was splashed on the front, the headline reading 'Britain and US Agree to Space Coalition.' She stared at the headline, her mind drifting back to Doctor Who and all of the sights him and his companions saw throughout the universe. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Reena speaking to her.

Reena snapped her fingers in front of Celeste's face, her brow furrowed. "Earth to Celeste. Stop daydreaming and focus."

Celeste shook her head to clear her thoughts, focusing her eyes on her friend, "Sorry, what did you say?"

Reena rolled her eyes, "You need to stop thinking about that show. You're totally losing it. I wanted to know if we were still going to the pub tonight."

"Oh, yes of course we are. And I'm not obsessed! I just, find it all fascinating. Exploring the universe, saving countless worlds, running for your life…" Celeste trailed off, her voice dreamy as her eyes unfocused once more.

Reena threw her hands up in disgust and put her bowl in the sink. Celeste didn't even notice that her friend had left as she mindlessly stirred her cereal around. Exploring space and time with the Doctor. Only an idiot would turn down something as extraordinary as that. Sighing softly, she looked down and crinkled her nose at the now soggy cereal. Getting up, she placed the bowl in the sink and went to grab her purse. She dug around inside looking for her car keys and found them after a moment. She glanced up the stairs, "Reena! I'm heading out! I'll be back later tonight!"

"Ok! See you tonight! Oh and I slipped your watch into your purse in case you need it!"

"Thanks!"

Celeste went out to her car and drove off to work. It never occurred to question Reena about the watch because she promptly forgot Reena's statement. Later, she would regret not paying more attention to her friend, since it was the last time she ever saw her.

* * *

Celeste hummed to herself as she drove along to work, moving through traffic in London with ease. She turned another corner onto a relatively unused alleyway and gasped suddenly, slamming on the breaks. There, in front of her and in the middle of the road, was a blue police box. She stared at it, her mouth falling open in shock. "Impossible…" She said softly. She glanced around her car, looking to see if there was anyone else who noticed the box. Seeing no one, she unbuckled and subconsciously grabbed her purse before slowly climbing out of the car.

She slowly made her way to the box, her eyes wide as she took in the sight in front of her. She circled the police box silently, taking it in and making note of every little nuance. She stopped in front of the door, reading the sign on the front to herself. She reached out a shaking hand towards the door and sucked in a breath as she took hold of the handle. Still holding in the breath, she pushed gently, the door opening just a sliver. The breath she had been holding came out in a rush and she pushed the door open more. Golden light was spilling from inside and when she opened the door more, her eyes took in the sight, the light surrounding her. "Beautiful…" she murmured.

Suddenly, she gasped as her mind went blank and she knew nothing more.

* * *

Celeste groaned softly to herself, head spinning from what she assumed was too much alcohol at the bar with Reena. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around expecting to see the familiar sights of her bedroom. The world around her came into view and her mind stuttered to a halt, completely unprepared for what was happening. She was definitely not in her bedroom. She was actually in a bathroom stall, one that she didn't recognize at all. Her breath came in quiet gasps as her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest and panic settled over her. She quickly glanced down at herself and realized she was still wearing the outfit she had thrown on that morning, if it was even still morning. She lunged for her purse which was laying at her feet and dug around inside, furiously looking for her phone. Finding it, she unlocked it and dialed Reena's number, tears gathering in her eyes.

She held a hand over her mouth to prevent a sob from escaping when all she heard from the phone was, "The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again."

"What is this? What is…" She trailed off as memories started flitting through her mind. Driving to work. A sudden stop. A blue police box. Golden light. She gasped in shock as these images came to her. "It's not possible. The TARDIS doesn't exist, it's on a TV show!"

She froze as the door to the bathroom opened and someone came inside. Peeking through the gap in the door, Celeste looked out to see if she could catch a glimpse of the person. Her jaw dropped as Rose Tyler, THE Rose Tyler, stared at herself in the mirror while washing her hands. She could only stare at Rose in horror as she finished washing her hands and walked out of the bathroom. Celeste let out a small squeak, her hand coming to her chest as her heart once more beat erratically. Taking a few deep breaths, she mentally tried to calm herself. _It's ok. There's nothing going on, you're most likely dreaming. Yes, dreaming. You had a long night out with Reena and now you're in bed, dreaming about being in a bathroom, watching Rose Tyler wash her hands. Totally normal._ Despite this attempt at reassuring herself, she could feel in her bones that she wasn't actually dreaming.

Taking one last breath, she shakily stood up and opened the bathroom stall. If this was a dream, although all indications told her it wasn't, she might as well go along with it. Walking up to the sink, she stared at herself for a moment to take in her appearance. She pat her cheeks lightly in an attempt to bring in some color, since she was currently paler than a ghost. She closed her eyes again and leaned against the sink in concentration, focusing intently on acting and looking normal. Her eyes popped open and she nodded firmly to her reflection before turning towards the bathroom door. She briskly walked out, hoping that she was exuding confidence rather than the terror she was feeling.

She stopped short when she saw the clothing and mannequins around her. She recognized this shop, it was the same shop that Rose worked at. Which would make some sense given that she just _saw_ Rose not two minutes ago. She was about to look around some more when a woman with a stern look on her face marched up to her. "Newly hired and you're already taking far too long on a break. Get back to work, Celeste. Find Rose and work with her on cleaning the forward racks."

Celeste stared at the woman in confusion for a moment. Work? She worked at Henrick's? She slowly nodded, "I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

The woman nodded harshly before waving an arm towards the front. Celeste turned robotically towards the direction she had waved and hesitantly made her way through the numerous clothing displays. She looked around cautiously, expecting a monster to jump out at her or something. She skirted around a mannequin, looking it up and down suspiciously. She shook her head in mild amusement at her own actions and looked around for Rose. She spotted her over by a clothing rack, folding clothes with a bland look on her face. Celeste bit her lip nervously, noticing the cash register over to the right. She stashed her bag underneath the counter and made her way over to Rose.

"Hey, I was told to come over here to work with you."

Rose looked up and smiled, "Yeah! You're the new girl. What was your name?" Rose stuck out her hand. Celeste took it and smiled gratefully. "Celeste." Rose raised her brows at the name but smiled again. "That's a lovely name. I'm Rose, as I'm sure you know. You can help me fold some of these. People are incapable of keeping anything straight."

Celeste nodded in return before grabbing a few of the shirts. She hadn't worked in retail for a few years but she still remembered the basics. She quietly followed Rose around for the remainder of the afternoon and it didn't take long before the two were laughing and joking as if they'd been friends for years.

"You know, I'm glad you started working here, Celeste. This place was getting more boring with each passing day," Rose said with a chuckle.

Celeste smiled brightly, "I'm glad that I decided to work here too! At least I know one decent person." _I just became friends with Rose Tyler, _she mentally screamed in joy. Rose nodded in agreement to Celeste's statement and they both wandered over to the cash register. The intercom stated that the store would close in five minutes and Celeste suddenly froze. This day was progressing exactly as the first episode of Doctor Who, which meant…

Rose grabbed her own bag and looked back at Celeste curiously. "You ok? You look a little pale."

Celeste shook her head and walked over to grab her own bag. "I'm fine, just been a long day," she said. She reached down to move aside some boxes and stopped, frowning in confusion. "Where's my bag?"

Rose leaned down, "Did you set it here? With the others?"

Celeste's heart started beating faster as she frantically moved aside some more random items. Her bag was definitely gone. "Yes, I'm positive I set it here. Just before I came over to you earlier this afternoon."

Rose frowned, glancing around the counter and at the other side. She spotted a pocket watch just laying by another box and she grabbed it without thinking, holding it out to Celeste. "Is this yours?"

Celeste paused in her search to glance at the watch in Rose's hand. She grabbed it and shoved it in her pocket, not completely realizing what it was and why she accepted it was hers. "Yes, thanks. Still can't find my bag though."

Rose shook her head, "It looks like it's gone. I'm sorry."

Celeste sighed in defeat, getting off her knees to stand. "I had everything in there. My keys, my wallet, my phone…"

Rose looked at her new friend, "Are you going to be able to get home? Do you have a roommate? Family?"

Celeste's shoulders slumped, "There's no one. I'm totally stuck." Rose reached over and gently pat her shoulder. "How about you come stay with me tonight and we can figure out what to do in the morning." Celeste looked at Rose in surprise. "Really? You'd let me stay, just like that?"

Rose laughed, "Well yeah. What kind of person do you think I am?"

Celeste's cheeks pinkened slightly, "Thank you Rose. Honestly. I really appreciate it." Rose shrugged and looped her arm through Celeste's. The two made their way to the front of the shop chatting quietly when the guard held out his hand with a bag of money. Rose groaned before grabbing it, "Come on, Celeste. Gotta give Wilson the lottery money."

Celeste nodded hesitantly, following Rose to the lift. Rose impatiently hit the button and stepped in when it showed up, crossing her arms in annoyance. Celeste's mind was moving a hundred miles a minute, her anxiety rising with each level the lift went down. When it reached the bottom and the doors opened, Celeste swallowed thickly. Soon, the Doctor would show up and the mannequins would come alive. She was torn between excitement and fear.

Rose stepped out of the lift, looking to the left and right. Celeste silently followed her, glancing to the right in expectation. "Wilson?" Rose called out. Rose huffed when she got no response and she walked down the hallway. "Wilson, I've got the lottery money. Wilson!" She knocked on the door. "Ya there?" She glanced over at Celeste who shrugged in response. Rose glared at the door.

"We can't hang around because they're closing the shop! Wilson?" The two turned their heads to the right at the sound of a bang. Rose frowned and she started walking down the hallway. "Wilson?" Celeste followed Rose as they passed through another door. Rose continued to call out to Wilson while Celeste remained silent. She looked at the mannequins apprehensively, being sure to stay out of their reach. She watched as Rose tried another door, only to find it locked. The double doors behind them slammed shut, causing both of them to jump. Rose dashed back over while Celeste stayed rooted in her spot, staring at the mannequins.

"Is there someone mucking about?"

Celeste gestured to Rose, "Rose, get over here. Quick." Rose's brows furrowed as she looked at Celeste but made her way over to her nonetheless. Rose turned at the sound behind her and Celeste gasped as one of the mannequins started to move. Celeste grabbed Rose by the wrist and tugged her backwards slowly. Rose stared at the mannequin walking slowly towards her and Celeste. "Right, I got the joke. This isn't funny," Rose said, her voice shaking.

Celeste tugged at her wrist again, pulling her back farther. "Rose, this isn't a joke," she murmured softly. Rose looked sharply at Celeste who ignored the questioning stare and continued to watch the mannequins walking towards them. Celeste continued to move backwards, tugging Rose along with her. They made their way towards another door, their backs hitting the wall. Rose closed her eyes, expecting a blow to hit her. Celeste moved her head to the left and saw the Doctor pop his head in and grab her hand.

"Run!"

Celeste allowed him to pull her through the door as she did the same to Rose. The three of them ran down the hallway to the lift, Rose glancing back in horror at the mannequins continuing towards them. Celeste looked at the other mannequins behind some of the glass as they ran past, bursting through the second set of doors. The Doctor pressed the button to call the lift and the three of them hurried inside when the doors opened. Celeste pressed the button to close the doors and a mannequin stuck his arm in to grab at them. The Doctor yanked at the arm, ripping it off and tossing it to Rose. She stared at the arm in shock while Celeste stared at the Doctor in awe. "You pulled his arm off!"

"Yep! Plastic," the Doctor replied cheerfully. Celeste smiled slightly, amused by his blasé attitude.

"Right, very clever, nice trick. What are they then, students? Is this a student thing or what?" Rose asked scornfully. Celeste shook her head.

"I don't think so."

The Doctor glanced over at Celeste in surprise, who merely shrugged in response. He contemplated Celeste for a moment before turning his gaze to Rose. "Why would they be students?"

Rose stared at him blankly, "I don't know."

"Well you said it. Why students?"

"Cause, to get that many people dressed up and being silly… They've got to be students."

The Doctor smiled before turning around again. "That makes sense. Well done."

"Thanks."

He glanced at Celeste out of the corner of his eye, who shook her head again silently. "They're not students," he said.

"Whoever they are, they're going to be in trouble when Wilson finds them and calls the police."

"Who's Wilson?"

"Chief electrician."

The Doctor looked grim, "He's dead." He exited the lift immediately once the doors opened, Celeste following him swiftly. Rose gaped at him as she followed as well. "What? That's not funny, that's sick!" she exclaimed.

The Doctor gently pushed Celeste and Rose back, "Hold on. Mind your eyes." Celeste ignored him, watching him use his sonic screwdriver to lock the lift. She blinked as the controls sparked and smiled in growing excitement. The Doctor glanced at her again as he swiftly passed, once again surprised by her response. Rose, however, was not as amused. "I've had enough of this. Who are you then? What are those things down there?"

The Doctor continued down the hall, speaking over his shoulder as Rose and Celeste tried to keep up. "They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by the relay device on the roof which would be a problem if I didn't have this!" He held up a small explosive and opened a door, gesturing Celeste and Rose through. "So, I'm going to go up there and blow them up, and I might well die in the process, but don't worry about me. No, you two go home. Go on. Go and have your lovely beans on toast. Don't tell anyone about this, because if you do, you'll get them killed." He closed the door quickly after saying that, Rose looking more lost by the second.

Celeste stared at the door in mild amusement while Rose turned away in confusion. The Doctor opened the door once more and was again surprised to see Celeste staring at him, eyebrow raised.

"I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?"

Celeste grinned, "I'm Celeste."

"Rose."

The Doctor grinned at the two of them, staring at Celeste for a moment longer. "Nice to meet you, Celeste and Rose. Run for your life!" He shut the door again and paused as he heard a faint chuckle behind the door. He cocked his head as he silently stared at the door, his mind trying to figure out the auburn haired woman who had seemed so unusual. Shaking his head, he made his way upstairs to destroy the relay.

Meanwhile, Rose and Celeste made their way out of the shop, Rose still holding on to the mannequin's arm. They swiftly crossed the street, Rose almost getting hit by a taxi on the way. Celeste grabbed her arm and pulled her to the sidewalk, turning around to stare at the shop just as it exploded. Rose stared at it, seeming a bit dazed. Celeste's eyes widened slightly as she turned around and jogged up the street a bit, her eyes locking onto the blue police box. She barely noticed as Rose ran past her, only turning when she heard her call out. With one last look at the box, she followed Rose down the street, a smile on her face. Things were definitely getting interesting and she could hardly wait to see the Doctor again.


	2. Rose and Celeste Pt 2

AN: Usual disclaimer, blah blah. I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe except Celeste and any characters I create throughout the story. Now, on to the fun stuff! So this chapter is SUPER long. Like, 17 pages in word, long. I'm not sure if I'll try to keep the chapters this long in the future or if I'll try to break it up a bit. If you feel that strongly in either direction, leave a review and I'll see what the consensus is. Also, I don't have a beta so I apologize in advance for any spelling mistakes there are and any points where my grammar is off. I'm kind of picky so I do my best to not spell things incorrectly or use improper grammar. But shit happens. Anyway! Read and review if you're so inclined! Or just read. Whatever floats your boat. Also, my direction for this story at this moment is to continue with several episodes and then I may inject a few unique things. I may also skip a few episodes in the show that I'm not super crazy about because reasons. ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Celeste followed Rose into her apartment sedately, trying not to show the glee that had been building inside since the Doctor had left them. She had met the Doctor! The last of the Time Lords! She slapped her hand over her mouth to prevent the hysterical laughter that was bubbling under the surface from escaping. Rose set her bag down and called out to her mom, "Mum! I'm back! You here?"

Celeste heard Jackie gasp from the kitchen before she appeared in the doorway, phone in hand. "Rose! Oh thank god!" Jackie grabbed Rose and hugged her tightly. "I was worried sick! Why weren't you answering your phone?"

Rose pulled away from Jackie, "I didn't hear it. Sorry." Jackie frowned at her daughter and her eyes suddenly caught sight of Celeste, who was standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Who's this then?"

Rose looked over at Celeste, "This is Celeste. She was at the shop with me, new employee. Her bag was stolen and she has nowhere to go. I told her she could stay here tonight and we could figure out her next move in the morning. Sorry for not phoning ahead. This is my mum, Jackie."

Celeste smiled politely, "Nice to meet you. Sorry for the trouble."

Jackie waved a hand dismissively, "Of course not, you poor thing. Both of you sit down on the couch and I'll make you a nice cup of tea." Celeste nodded thankfully while Rose rolled her eyes. The two of them settled on the couch, Rose turning on the TV to watch the news which showed the shop burning up. Jackie returned after a moment, phone attached to her ear and two cups of tea. She set them down and continued to gab on the phone. Rose sighed heavily and Celeste glanced at her in concern, "You all right?"

Rose merely nodded and continued to stare at the TV. Celeste turned her attention back to the screen as well but couldn't help but listen to Jackie on the phone.

"I know. It's on the telly. It's everywhere. She's lucky to be alive. Honestly, it's aged her. Skin like an old bible. Walking in now you'd think I was her daughter. Oh, and here's himself."

Celeste glanced over as Mickey stormed in, concern on his face. He looked over at Celeste for a moment before sitting down next to Rose and practically throwing himself on top of her. "I've been phoning your mobile. You could've been dead. It's on the news and everything. I can't believe that your shop went up!" Celeste let out a small giggle at the sight. Mickey had his amusing moments in the first season but he was very clingy and scared easily. She could see why Rose gravitated towards the Doctor instead; the Doctor was much more dashing and exciting. She stopped her train of thought abruptly when she felt her cheeks flush. Now was not the time to think about how amazing the Doctor was.

Rose struggled and pushed Mickey away, "I'm all right, honestly, I'm fine! Don't make a fuss."

"Well, what happened?" he asked, sitting back to stare at Rose.

"I don't know!" Rose cried, her eyes narrowed on the TV as more images of the burning shop came on.

Celeste stuck out her hand in an attempt to prevent Mickey from annoying Rose further, "Hi, I'm Celeste. I work with Rose." She paused for a moment, "Well, worked, I suppose. Given that our job is now in flames."

Mickey shook her hand, "I'm Mickey. You were there too? Did you see what happened?"

Celeste shrugged as Rose looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not sure. Rose and I were outside when it happened. We just heard the explosion and poof! There goes the shop."

Jackie came into the room, phone in her hand, "It's Debbie on the end. She knows a man on the Mirror. Five hundred quid for an interview."

Rose's face lights up as she holds out her hand, "Oh that's brilliant! Give it here." Jackie hands the phone over to Rose who immediately hangs it up and she stares at the TV again. Celeste snickers and gives Jackie an apologetic look. Jackie huffs, her hands on her hips, "Well, you've got to find some way of making money. Your job's kaput and I'm not bailing you out." Her gaze shifted to Celeste, "You can stay as long as you need, sweetheart. You poor thing. Must be terribly shocked, do you need some more tea?"

Rose's mouth dropped, "Seriously? Mum!"

Celeste shook her head, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter, "No, I'm fine thank you." Jackie nods her head, her gaze sympathetic. The phone rings again and she immediately snatches it up. "Bev! She's alive. I've told her, sue for compensation. She was within seconds of death!" Jackie walked back into the kitchen to continue her conversation with Bev. Mickey grabbed the cup that Rose had been drinking from.

"What're you drinking, tea? Nah, nah, that's no good, that's no good. You're in shock. You need something stronger."

Rose waved her hand at him, "I'm all right."

Mickey looked at Rose pleadingly, "Now, come on, you deserve a proper drink. We're going down the pub, you and me. My treat. How about it?" He looked over at Celeste, "You can come along if you'd like."

Celeste shook her head, "I'm fine here. Thank you for the offer though."

Rose continued to stare at the TV, "Is there a match on?"

Mickey had the good grace to look embarrassed, "No, I'm just thinking about you, babe."

"There's a match on, ain't there."

"That's not the point, but we could catch the last five minutes."

Rose smiled reluctantly, "Go on, then. I'm fine, really. Go. Get rid of that." She gestures to the arm that is laying on the chair. Mickey stares at her, pouting slightly. Rose let out a laugh and kissed him. Celeste smiled at the couple. It was sad, really. Mickey and Rose seemed so good together. Mickey got up and grabbed the arm, pretending to choke himself. Rose laughed again while Celeste frowned slightly, knowing that the arm would be coming back in the morning. The two girls turn back to the TV and watch the building burn, both of them with very different thoughts in their heads. After another hour, Rose got up and looked over at Celeste, "I'll grab you a spare tooth brush and something to change into. I'm sure we have some spare clothes that will fit you. God, I didn't realize how tiny you are." Celeste looked down at herself in surprise before looking up at Rose gratefully.

She followed Rose into the bathroom and took the toothbrush she held out in relief. She brushed her teeth as Rose dug through her closet searching for some pajamas. Finding some of her old high school clothes, she gathered them up and set them on the toilet for Celeste. Rose eyed Celeste before shaking her head, "I don't get it. How can you be curvy but still so small? Only stuff that I have that'll fit ya is some stuff I had from high school."

Celeste looked at Rose a little apologetically, "I swear I eat. A lot actually. Never could quite figure that out myself. Thank you for the clothes and the toothbrush."

Rose nodded and left Celeste to change. Coming out of the bathroom a few moments later with her clothes in hand, she wandered into Rose's room where she was gathering a couple of blankets and a pillow. "You'll have to sleep on the couch, if that's ok. We don't have a spare room, kind of a small place."

"The couch is completely fine. I've slept on much worse."

Rose chuckled before handing the blankets and pillow to Celeste. "We'll get you all sorted out tomorrow morning, yeah?"

Celeste nodded, smiling, "Sounds good. Night!"

"Night!"

Celeste made her way back to the couch and settled down under the blankets. Sleep seemed so far off with the events of the day running through her mind. She had somehow ended up in a universe where the Doctor was real, time travel existed, and monsters wanted to take over the world. A few tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes and she brushed them away roughly. Closing her eyes, she thought of her roommate and the friends she had back home. She didn't have any family any longer as the woman who had adopted her as a baby had passed away when she was sixteen. Letting out a sad sigh, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep and for once, her dreams weren't filled with the Doctor.

* * *

The next morning, Celeste woke up before Rose so she folded the blankets up, setting them aside to be put away later. After pulling on her skirt and shirt again since she had nothing else to wear, she shoved the watch into her pocket and wandered into the kitchen where Jackie was making some coffee. Jackie glanced up at Celeste in surprise, "What are you doing up, sweetheart? You don't have a job to go to anymore, might as well stay in bed."

Celeste smiled, "I'm always an early riser. Can't really go back to sleep."

"Well I know how that goes. Could barely sleep a wink myself last night. Too concerned over what happened at the shop. Are you and Rose going to get you all sorted today? Your bag was stolen, yeah? Do you need to use the phone to call someone? I just realized I didn't even let you call out last night!"

Celeste chuckled at the horrified look on Jackie's face, "It's all right, I don't mind. I don't have a roommate or family so there was no one to call."

Jackie looked at Celeste sadly, "You poor thing. All alone and nowhere to go. You want some breakfast? How about some nice eggs and toast."

"That would be lovely, thank you."

Jackie puttered around the kitchen making breakfast while Celeste watched her, head propped up in her hand. She smiled slightly as she watched Jackie, memories of her mother doing the same thing coming to mind. Her smile faded as her heart clenched in sorrow but she quickly wiped the reaction from her face when Jackie set a plate in front of her. "There you go, love. Nice warm breakfast. I'll make you a cup of tea too."

Celeste happily dug into the food, murmuring thank you around a full mouth. She heard Rose's alarm go off suddenly and she swallowed, taking a sip of the tea Jackie had set in front of her. Jackie turned her head and called out to Rose, "There's no point in getting up, sweetheart. You've got no job to go to."

Celeste finished the last bite and wrapped her hands around the warm cup, sighing contentedly. She heard Rose moving around in her room and she glanced at the clock anxiously. The Doctor would be here soon which meant that the hand would try to kill him and Rose. She sighed and looked at Rose who came in and sat down dejectedly at the table. Jackie had gone back into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.

"There's Finch's. You could try them. They've always got jobs."

Rose snorted, "Oh, great. The butchers."

Jackie came back to the table, sitting down with a cup in hand, "Well, might do you good. That shop was giving you airs and graces. And I'm not joking about compensation. You've had genuine shock and trauma. The both of you have. Arianna got two thousand quid off the council just because the old main behind the desk said she looked Greek!" Jackie paused in her monologue and Celeste bit her lip as Rose looked incredulous. Jackie took a breath and continued, "I know she is Greek, but that's not the point. It was a valid claim." With that, Jackie went back into her own room to put her makeup on. Rose grunted in irritation and looked over at Celeste, "So, where do you want to start? Looks like I can help you out for as long as you need since we no longer got jobs."

Celeste opened her mouth to reply but the sound of the cat door rattling caused Rose to grit her teeth and stand up. "Mum, you're such a liar. I told you to nail that cat flap down. We're going to get strays." Rose walked out of the kitchen towards the door, Celeste trailing behind her. Rose crouched down, picking up one of the screws. She glanced at the door and up at Celeste who merely shrugged despite knowing what was going on.

"I did it weeks back!" Jackie called out from her bedroom. Rose opened her mouth to respond when the cat flap moved a little. Hesitantly, she knelt down and opened it, revealing the face of the Doctor. Meanwhile, Celeste was bouncing on the balls of her feet in gleeful anticipation. Rose stood up and threw open the door. The Doctor stood there and glanced over at Celeste who wiggled her fingers in hello. He raised a brow at her before looking at Rose.

"What're you doing here?"

Rose stared at him as if he was daft, "I live here."

"Well, what do you do that for? Does she live with you too?" He looked again at Celeste who shook her head in response to his second question.

"Because I do. I'm only at home because someone blew up my job. Celeste is here because her bag was stolen and she also doesn't have a job. Thanks to you."

The Doctor frowned before looking at his screwdriver again, "I must have got the wrong signal. You're not plastic, are you?" He tapped on Rose's head. "No, bonehead. Bye, then."

Celeste laughed in amusement as Rose huffed and grabbed onto the Doctor's arm. "You. Inside. Right now." Rose yanked the Doctor inside and shut the door behind him.

Jackie paused her makeup application, "Who is it?"

Rose looked into the room, "It's about last night. He's part of the inquiry. Give us ten minutes." Rose continued towards the kitchen and looked at Celeste with an odd expression on her face. Celeste smiled and leaned against the wall of the kitchen, staring at the Doctor. "You want coffee?" Rose asked.

"Might as well, thanks. Just milk." He said, taking a few more steps into the apartment and pausing at Jackie's open door.

"She deserves compensation!" Jackie called out. She turned and immediately straightened at the sight of the Doctor.

"Oh, we're talking millions." He replied casually, looking around the apartment curiously.

Jackie took a step forward and attempted a seductive tone, "I'm in my dressing gown."

The Doctor looked over at her and nodded, "Yes, you are."

"There's a strange man in my bedroom."

"Yes, there is."

She pushed out a hip and put her arms behind her back, "Where anything could happen."

The Doctor paused at the statement and stared at her for a moment before shaking his head sharply, "No." He walked further into the apartment and eyed Celeste, who had watched the exchange in amusement. She smiled at him as he picked up a magazine from the coffee table. "Good morning, Doctor. Any luck tracking down that living plastic?"

The Doctor looked up at Celeste sharply but didn't respond. She stared at him innocently, while Rose spoke out loud from the kitchen, having not heard Celeste's question.

"We should go to the police. Seriously. The three of us."

The Doctor grabbed a magazine from the coffee table, flipping through it. "That won't last, he's gay and she's an alien," he muttered to himself before tossing it down. He glanced up to see Celeste still staring at him, eyebrow raised. He shrugged a shoulder before grabbing a paperback book, Rose still chatting in the background.

"I'm not blaming you, even if it was just some sort of joke that went wrong."

"Hmm. Sad ending." He dropped the book back down and grabbed a piece of mail from the side table, all the while keeping an eye on Celeste curiously. She hadn't reacted to his alien statement and didn't seem at all phased by his actions.

Rose continued on, oblivious to the Doctor's actions, "They said on the news they'd found a body."

"Rose Tyler," he read off the mail, dropping it down as well. He turn towards the mirror, looking at himself with interest.

"Ah, could've been worse. Look at the ears." He flicks at his ears causing Celeste to laugh quietly. He looked back at her and winked. Celeste turned her head away in an attempt to hide the blush that quickly formed on her cheeks. The Doctor grabbed a deck of cards and attempted to shuffle them.

"All the same, he was nice. Nice bloke."

"Luck be a lady." The Doctor shuffled the cards, sending a smirk over towards Celeste. She rolled her eyes in response and ducked into the arch leading into the kitchen so the cards wouldn't hit her when he totally missed the next shuffle.

"Anyway, if we are going to go to the police, I want to know what I'm saying."

He attempted to shuffle the cards again and as Celeste knew they would, the cards went flying as the Doctor looked on sadly.

"I want you to explain everything to us," Rose said, adding the final touches to the coffee. Celeste at the same time had straightened out and looked towards the couch apprehensively. The cat flap made another noise and the Doctor jerked around to look behind him.

"What's that, then? You got a cat?" He walked over to the couch and looked behind it curiously. Celeste took a few steps forward, her hands clenching as she waited for the moment that the hand would leap out. The Doctor peered over the side and the hand showed itself, grabbing the Doctor's throat. Celeste lunged forward and tugged at the arm, trying to get it off of him while the Doctor struggled to breathe.

"No. We did have, but now they're just strays. They come in off the estate." Rose replied, finally grabbing both cups to walk back into the living room. She eyed the pair of them. "I told Mickey to chuck that out. Celeste, what are you doing? Shouldn't encourage him, you know."

Celeste grit her teeth, "It's choking him." She continued to tug at the arm in vain.

Rose snorted, setting the cups down, "Don't be ridiculous. Anyway, we don't even know your name. Doctor, what was it?"

At that moment, Celeste and the Doctor manage to get the arm off but it stopped and attached itself to Celeste's face, cutting off her airways. Rose gasped in shock and stumbled backwards in fear. The Doctor grabbed at the arm, attempting to pull it off Celeste and the two of them crashed into the table causing it to shatter. Rose could only stand in horror as the Doctor ripped the arm off of Celeste, who took in a few gasping breaths, and placed his sonic screwdriver into the palm, shutting it down.

"It's all right, I've stopped it. There you go, see? Armless." He tossed it lightly to Celeste who shook her head, glaring at him. She whacked his arm in response and looked up at Rose, whose mouth was opening and closing comically. "You okay, Rose?"

Rose only continued to stare at the arm, no words coming out of her mouth. The Doctor grunted in annoyance and swiftly left the apartment. Celeste jumped up and followed him, Rose not far behind.

"Hold on! Wait up! You can't just leave!" Celeste called out.

"Yes I can. Here I am. This is me, leaving. See you." He said back, picking up his pace. Rose glared at his back.

"But that arm was moving! It tried to kill Celeste!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Ten out of ten for observation."

"Hey! Be nice or I'll hit you again," Celeste said firmly. The Doctor looked back at her incredulously, clearly not taking her threat seriously. The three of them made their way outside of the flats and walked down the street hurriedly.

Rose grit her teeth, "You can't just walk away. That's not fair. You've got to tell us what's going on."

"No, I don't." The Doctor said.

Rose and Celeste continued to chase after the Doctor, who was pretending as if they weren't there.

"All right, then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell me, or I'll start talking." Rose said.

The Doctor barely contained his snort of disbelief, "Is that supposed to sound tough?"

Rose looked mildly uneasy, "Sort of."

"Doesn't work," he replied, continuing to walk away from the pair.

Rose let out a frustrated noise and Celeste looked over at her in concern. "Who are you?" Rose asked.

Celeste kept walking but smiled cheerfully, "He's the Doctor."

Rose scowled at Celeste and the Doctor turned his head to send an appraising look towards Celeste.

"Yeah, but Doctor what?"

"Just the Doctor, as your friend said," he replied cheekily.

Rose looked between the two of them, "The Doctor."

The Doctor turned and waved, "Hello!" Celeste laughed at him and couldn't help but think that he was so adorable when he was being smug. She decided to keep out of the conversation for a bit to prevent the Doctor from realizing that she knew certain things. She wasn't sure if telling him that she was from another universe and that she knew, in detail, his entire life's story was a good idea on the second meeting. Maybe the third. Or the hundredth.

"Is that supposed to sound impressive?"

"Sort of."

"Come on, then. You can tell us. We've seen enough. Are you the police?"

"No, I was just passing through. I'm a long way from home." Celeste frowned at the statement, sensing the sadness that came from him when he mentioned Gallifrey.

"But what have we done wrong? How comes those plastic things keep coming after us?

"Oh, suddenly the entire world revolves around the pair of you. You were just an accident. You got in the way, that's all."

Celeste raised a hand up, "You can leave me out of this argument, thanks."

"It tried to kill Celeste!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "It was after me, not her. Last night, in the shop, I was there, you two blundered in, almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, I was tracking it down, it was tracking me down. The only reason it fixed on you two at all is 'cos you've met me."

"So, what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you." Rose stated bluntly.

"Sort of, yeah."

Celeste laughed, "So cocky. Can't seem to help yourself, can you?"

The Doctor looked at Celeste, wiggling his eyebrows up and down, "Not even a little."

Rose scowled at their interaction, "But, all this plastic stuff. Who else knows about it?"

The Doctor shrugged, "No one."

Celeste looked at the Doctor sadly, "You're on your own." The Doctor glanced at her, realizing she had made a statement rather than asked a question. Celeste bit her lip and looked down, mentally berating herself for letting the statement slip.

"Well, who else is there? I mean, you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly, while all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on."

Rose yanked the arm from him and shook at him, "Okay. Start from the beginning. I mean, if we're going to go with living plastic, and I don't even believe that, but if we do, how did you kill it?"

"The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead."

Rose looked confused, "So that's radio control?"

Celeste shook her head and said offhand, "No, thought control."

The Doctor stopped suddenly, spun around and pierced Celeste with an intense look. She stopped herself and looked up at him, restraining herself from palming her face at her own stupidity. She just couldn't seem to stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

"How did you know that?" The Doctor asked, searching Celeste's face as if the answer would magically appear. Celeste looked around nervously, her mind racing.

"Well, I looked at the arm a bit last night. It looks like it's solid plastic and it has no signs of electronics anywhere. If I got by what you said, you said a thing was controlling it, not a remote. And given that I don't know of a single thing on this Earth that can hover in midair and start to strangle me, thought control just seemed like a logical choice," she rambled swiftly, hoping that he didn't question her statement. She stared up at him, holding in a breath and praying that he didn't pursue it any further. He stared at her for a moment longer, before turning around and continuing on.

"Celeste is correct. Thought control."

Rose had been staring at the two of them throughout that little exchange, frowning in confusion and irritation. "So, who's controlling it, then?"

"Long story."

"But what's it all for? I mean, shop window dummies, what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?"

"No."

Celeste snorted, "Not even close."

The Doctor smiled, "It's not a price war. They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you. Do you believe me?"

"No."

"Yes." Celeste and Rose replied at the same time. Rose looked at Celeste skeptically while Celeste continued to stare at the Doctor. The Doctor glanced between the two of them, nodding once to Celeste before looking back to Rose.

"But you're still listening."

The three of them continued to walk on and Celeste saw the TARDIS not too far away. She resisted the urge to run up to it and open the doors, knowing that would most certainly indicate to the Doctor that she knew more than she was letting on.

"Really, though, Doctor. Tell us, who are you?"

The Doctor paused and looked around at the flats and people walking nearby. Rose and Celeste stared at him, waiting for him to speak. He turned around and looked at the two of them for a moment before locking eyes with Celeste.

"Do you know like we were saying about the Earth revolving? It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still. I can feel it." He paused, grabbing Celeste's hand. She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening at the touch. "The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour, and I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go," he dropped her hand, still not breaking eye contact. "That's who I am. Now forget me, Rose Tyler and Celeste. Go home." He reached down and grabbed the arm, waving it at the two before walking off.

Rose started to walk away slowly but Celeste stayed rooted in place, staring after him and watching in awe as he climbed into the TARDIS, the ship starting to take off and disappear. Rose came running back at the sound of the TARDIS, looking around in confusion as the box was now gone. She looked over at Celeste who was still staring at the spot, a faraway look in her eyes. "Celeste?" Rose asked softly.

Celeste jerked and looked over at Rose, "Sorry, I was thinking." She pressed her lips together and frowned. "Do you know someone who has a computer?"

Rose looked at her, "Sure, Mickey does. Why?"

"Because we need to do some research on the Doctor."

"But he said to forget him…" Rose said, trailing off.

Celeste raised an eyebrow at her, "Do you honestly think you can forget someone like that?"

Rose bit her lip, thinking a moment before shaking her head, "No, you're right. This is just too weird. Come on, we'll go to Mickey's."

Celeste grinned at the blonde, "Lead on, Rose Tyler."

* * *

The two girls arrived at Mickey's place and Rose knocked on the door. Celeste tapped her foot impatiently despite it taking only a moment for Mickey answer.

"Hey, hey, here's my woman. Kit off!" He said happily, smacking her ass playfully. Rose laughed and kissed him lightly, "Shut up." Celeste smiled and followed the pair as they walked further into the apartment. "Coffee?" Mickey asked, as Rose snuggled up next to him.

"Yeah, only if you wash the mug. And I don't mean rinse, I mean wash. Can we use your computer?"

Mickey rolled his eyes at the wash statement and walked into the kitchen. "Yeah. Two pretty girls in my bedroom, must be my lucky day." Celeste scoffed as Rose laughed, "Don't get your hopes up!"

Mickey let his face drop in fake disappointment. His eyes suddenly widened, "Don't read my emails!"

Celeste snickered as the two of them walked into Mickey's room, "What could he possibly have in his emails that would be worth reading?"

Rose laughed, "Probably something porn related. You know how men are."

Celeste smiled and sat down in front of the computer, navigating to the internet search quickly. She paused for a moment, pretending to think of what to search for before typing in 'Doctor Blue Box' and hitting enter. The first result posted by Clive popped up, just as she knew it would. Rose leaned over her shoulder, pointing at it. "What's that one?"

Celeste clicked on it and smiled slightly at the face of the Doctor. Rose gasped behind her, muttering about things being utterly crazy around that man. Celeste ignored her and clicked on the 'Contact Clive' option and opened up a new email.

* * *

Mickey grumbled under his breath as he drove the three of them to Clive's home. "Guy is probably a serial killer. You'll get yourself murdered after he offers you a spot of tea."

Rose smacked Mickey on the shoulder and looked at Celeste worriedly, "You sure you want to go in?"

Celeste waved away Rose's concern, "Yes, I'm sure. It'll be perfectly fine. He has a wife and kids."

Mickey scoffed, "Yeah, who told you that? He did. That's exactly what an internet lunatic murderer would say."

Celeste rolled her eyes and climbed out of the car. She held up a hand to stop Rose from following her, "No, you two stay here. If something _does_ happen to me, and it won't, then one of you can call the police while the other knocks down the door to attempt a heroic rescue." She glanced between the two, smirking slightly. "Rose, you knock down the door. Mickey, you call the police."

Rose cackled and nodded in agreement while Mickey protested loudly about being the man. Celeste chuckled and jogged across the street, knocking on the door. Clive's son answered it, looking at Celeste skeptically, "Yeah?"

"Hello, I'm here to see Clive."

The boy rolled his eyes, shouting out to his father, "Dad! It's one of your nutters!"

Clive came stumbling in, a cheerful smile on his face. "Oh, sorry. Hello! You must be Celeste. I'm Clive, obviously."

Celeste smiled in response, "Yes, nice to meet you. Could you do me a tiny favor and wave at my friends in the car across the street? They're convinced that you're going to kill me."

Clive chuckled and glanced over, waving at Rose and Mickey, "No, good point. No murders."

Clive's wife called out from upstairs, "Who is it?"

Clive gestured Celeste inside and shut the door, "Oh, it's something to do with the Doctor. She's been reading the website. Please, come through. I'm in the shed." He rushed Celeste through the house but Celeste still heard his wife come down, her voice a bit shocked and amused. "She? She's read a website about the Doctor? She's a she?"

* * *

Celeste slowly looked at the items strewn about the shed, taking in each mention of the Doctor and the TARDIS. She only half listened as Clive blathered on about sensitive information, knowing that he was just going to show her pictures of the Doctor throughout time. She glanced at the photo he was pointing at, nodding her head in response to his question about it being her Doctor. She paused at the statement, mentally rolling the words _her Doctor_ over and smiled sadly despite herself. She knew he would never be _her_ Doctor. He would fall madly in love with Rose and then be too busy floundering after River to care about anyone else. Heaving a large mental sigh, she zoned back in to the conversation Clive was having mostly with himself at this point.

"…assassination of President Kennedy. You see?" Clive pointed to the Doctor standing in the crowd as Kennedy drove by.

"Fascinating…" Celeste murmured in response, already quite bored and wanting to leave the shed. She knew if she left too soon though Mickey wouldn't get taken and the plastic version wouldn't take his place. Her mind halted as she realized Rose was out there too. Swearing in her head, her eyes widened in mild panic. That didn't happen in the show, Rose was supposed to be in here so what would happen to her? Would she get killed? Celeste bit her lip and forced her panic down, resolving to see things through and not freak out when she went back to the car. _Please don't be dead, Rose. The Doctor needs you._

She looked over at Clive, who was _still_ prattling on about the Doctor, "The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there. He brings the storm in his wake and he has one constant companion."

Celeste held back the snort of derision at Clive's statement. The Doctor saved billions of people on a regular basis. One or two losses were insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Focusing back on Clive, she looked up at him, "Who's that?"

Clive looked grim as he responded, "Death."

Celeste held back her grimace and looked back down at the picture. Sighing softly, she smiled at Clive, "Thanks for showing me all of this, Clive. I really appreciate it. I should probably get going. My friends can get rather impatient."

Clive nodded and escorted her back towards the front of the house. He paused briefly, looking at Celeste with concern, "If the Doctor is here, Celeste. If you've seen him… I urge you to stay away from him. History has shown that he's dangerous and we're all in danger."

Celeste pressed her lips together, "I'll be careful. I promise."

Clive nodded hesitantly at her and waved as she crossed the street. She stumbled a little as she made her way to the car, not knowing what to expect when she got there. She opened the door and glanced in, instantly noticing the plastic Mickey. She frowned as she noticed Rose wasn't in the car. Her heart pounded as she instantly feared the worst, "Mickey, where did Rose go?" She tried to keep her voice curious instead of panicked.

Fake Mickey merely smiled, still staring out the front window, "She called a taxi to go home. Wasn't feeling well. She said we should go out to eat."

Celeste nodded and slowly sat down in the car, "Ok… How does pizza sound?"

Fake Mickey's fake smiled widened further, "Pizza! P-p-p-pizza!"

Celeste turned her gaze away from him and swallowed thickly, "Pizza it is."

"Pizza!" Mickey said again as he pulled out into the street. Celeste clung to the door handle, praying that Rose was all right.

* * *

Celeste and Mickey sat at a table in the restaurant and ordered some drinks while they waited for the pizza to show up. Celeste put her head in her hand, idly flicking at the menu. She just had to wait a few minutes for the Doctor to show up with his champagne bottle. She glanced up at Mickey, who was still sitting there, staring straight ahead with that stupid smile on his face. With a grimace of distaste, she sat up and took a breath, "So, Rose. Did she seem really sick to you or just something mild? Should I phone her? Make sure she's all right?"

Fake Mickey didn't look phased by the question, "So, where did you meet this Doctor?"

Celeste frowned, "I'm sorry, wasn't I just talking about Rose? You know, your sick girlfriend? Aren't you worried?"

Fake Mickey continued as if she hadn't spoken, "Because I reckon it started back at the shop, am I right? Did he have something to do with that?"

Celeste scowled, "No."

Fake Mickey reached over and grabbed onto her hand tightly. Celeste gasped and glared at him, unable to hold back the contempt any further. "Look," she spat, "I'm not going to tell you anything. Not now, not ever. So why don't you shove off?"

Fake Mickey's eyes narrowed and his smiled turned nasty, "Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, now."

"Your champagne," the Doctor said, holding out the bottle. Fake Mickey didn't glance up but Celeste allowed her eyes to flick towards the Doctor briefly, who winked at her. She moved her eyes back to Fake Mickey, not wanting him to realize the Doctor was there just yet.

"We didn't order any champagne. Where's the Doctor?"

"Madam, your champagne."

Celeste smirked, "Was never a fan of champagne. More of a red win girl, myself."

"So nobody wants this champagne?"

"Look, we didn't order it," Fake Mickey glanced up at the Doctor, his smile turning into a smirk as he realized the Doctor was standing there. The Doctor grinned and started shaking the champagne. "Don't mind me! Just toasting the happy couple! Cheers!"

Celeste hastily stood up and took a few steps away from Fake Mickey. The doctor opened the bottle and the cork flew into Fake Mickey's head, causing him to chew for a moment and spit it out. He stands suddenly and flattens his hand into a weapon, breaking the table. Celeste dashed towards the fire alarm, hitting it with her elbow. "Everyone out! Go!" She screamed as the Doctor fought with the Fake Mickey. After the two struggled, the Doctor ripped off the head triumphantly. The Fake Mickey head merely smiled at him, "Don't think that's going to stop me."

The Doctor tucked the head under his arm and grabbed Celeste's hand, yanking her through the back into the kitchen. The two ran and burst through the back door, the Doctor pausing only to seal the door with his screwdriver. Celeste backed away from the door and watched him saunter off towards the TARDIS. She rolled her eyes at his nonchalant attitude and almost sniped at him. Instead, she feigned ignorance, "So, are we trapped then? The gate is locked."

The Doctor continued towards the TARDIS and unlocked the door, "Nah, let's go in here!"

Celeste paused for a moment, not wanting to rush over there and seem too eager. She pretended to cautiously make her way over to the TARDIS and grabbed the handle of the door. Taking a breath she pushed it open and walked in, her eyes instantly widening at what she saw. She took a few more steps inside, her jaw dropping in amazement. It was one thing to watch it on the telly but to see it for real, in person… There wasn't any way to describe what she as feeling. Amazed. Impressed. Excited. Scared. Everything all at once. She shifted her gaze to the Doctor who was hooking up wires to the Fake Mickey head, ignoring her for the moment.

The Doctor shot a look over at Celeste taking in her reaction curiously. He turned his attention back to the head, hooking in some more wires. "You see, the arm was too simple, but the head's perfect! I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source. Right. Where do you want to start?" He turned around and looked at Celeste expectantly.

Celeste smiled, knowing what he wanted her to say, "It's bigger on the inside."

The Doctor grinned, "Yes."

Celeste crossed her arms, the smile still on her face, "It's alien."

"Yes."

"You're alien."

"Yes. Is that all right?" The Doctor cocked his head to the side, staring at her intently.

Celeste uncrossed her arms and shrugged, "Sure, fine with me."

The Doctor stared at her a moment longer before starting up again, his voice reeking with enthusiasm and authority, "It's called the TARDIS, this thing. T-A-R-D-I-S. That's 'Time And Relative Dimension In Space.'" He paused, waiting for her reaction.

Celeste merely raised an eyebrow, "Ok, sounds interesting and alien. Anything else?"

The Doctor stared at her, his eyes wide and jaw dropped slightly in shock. "Nothing? No tears? No cursing? Just, okay?"

Celeste nodded, a wide grin on her face. She gestured over to the head that had started to melt, "Might want to check on your science project. Looks a bit gooey."

The Doctor whipped around, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" He furiously started hitting levers and buttons, throwing the TARDIS into motion. Celeste grabbed onto a railing to prevent herself from falling to the floor as the Doctor running around the console. "What are you doing?" she shouted.

"Following the signal! It's fading. Wait a minute, I've got it. No, no, no, no, no, no! Almost there. Almost there. Here we go!" The Doctor cried out before dashing for the door. Celeste grunted in irritation and followed him out.

"Can't take a moment to breathe, can you," she muttered under her breath.

The Doctor paced in front of the TARDIS in agitation, "I lost the signal, I got so close!"

Celeste glanced around curiously before looking at the Doctor as he hung his head in silent defeat. She silently walked up to stand next to him, looking at him with sympathy, "You did the best you could, considering the head was melting rather quickly."

The Doctor glared at her, "Oh what would you know. Stupid apes always blundering about, causing problems."

Celeste went rigid and hit his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being rude! I'm not a stupid ape and I've not done a damn thing to warrant your ire. Now, tell me, are my friends still alive?"

The Doctor rubbed his arm and glared at her some more, "Which ones?"

Celeste threw up her arms, "Rose and Mickey! Mickey's fake head just melted on your console. _Those_ friends. The ones taken by some other alien."

"Probably. Maybe. Oh what does it matter! I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape mucking about on this planet, all right? Priorities!"

Celeste clenched her jaw and tried to keep calm, "Fine. This living plastic. What's it got against us then?"

The Doctor began to pace again, much to Celeste's annoyance. The man just couldn't sit still for a moment, which was hardly a surprise and much more irritating to see in person. "Nothing. It loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air, perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. Its food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth is dinner!"

"Is there any way to stop this, Nestene Consciousness?"

The Doctor dug into his pocket and pulled out a vial with a blue liquid, "Anit-plastic."

She raised a brow, "Anti-plastic."

The Doctor nodded at her as if she was a simpleton, "Anti-plastic. But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?"

"Hide what?" she asked, already glancing back at the London Eye.

"The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal."

She hid a smile behind her hand, "What's it look like?"

The Doctor started speaking faster, "Like a transmitter! Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London. A huge circular metal structure like a dish, like a wheel. Radial. Close to where we're standing. Must be completely invisible." He paused, and looked at Celeste who was looking at him in amusement. "What? What?"

She nodded towards the Eye, causing the Doctor to turn around for a moment and then turn back to her in confusion. She sighed heavily, marched up to him and grabbed his face between her hands. "Pay attention," she said softly, before turning his head to look at the Eye once more. His eyes widened and he grabbed at her hands, grinning excitedly.

"Oh! Fantastic!" He kept her hand in his as he dashed towards the Eye, pulling her along. Celeste laughed breathlessly at him, trying to keep up. She winced as a muscle in her leg pulled slightly. Definitely going to take some time at a gym. Did the TARDIS even have a gym? Probably, she had a room for everything it seemed. Celeste burst into laughter as she realized that she fully intended, without a shadow of a doubt, to travel with the Doctor. Which was the craziest thing she had ever encountered thus far in her eighteen years. The Doctor, hearing her laugh, shot a grin back at her. They slowed as they reached the other side of the pier, the Doctor looking around frantically.

"Think of it, plastic all over the world. Every artificial thing waiting to come alive. The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires the cables."

Unable to resist, Celeste chuckled, "the breast implants."

The Doctor smirked at her, "Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath."

Celeste walked over to a manhole cover, gesturing to it, "Down there?'

The Doctor pulled up the cover and looked down, "Looks good to me!"

* * *

The two climbed down and opened a door into the catwalk area above the Consciousness. Closing the door, they leaned over the railing and stared at the vat of moving plastic at the bottom.

"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature," he breathed out softly.

Celeste stared at it in fascinated horror. "So, what's the plan?" She asked.

"I've got to give it a chance. A chance to make the right choice and leave. The anti-plastic is a last resort."

Celeste nodded, "Okay."

He glanced over at her in mild surprise before turning and walking down the catwalk. Celeste followed slowly, her eyes seeking the form of Mickey since she knew he was down below. She hoped Rose was there too or she'd never forgive herself.

"I seek an audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 5 of the Shadow Proclamation," the Doctor shouted, pausing to wait for a response. The Consciousness seems to acquiesce as the Doctor smiled happily, "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"

Celeste finally spotted Mickey and was infinitely relieved to see Rose huddled up next to him. With a quiet gasp she rushed down the stairs and kneeled next to them. "I'm so glad you're all right! I was worried you'd be killed by those things," she whispered.

Rose smiled shakily while still wrapped around Mickey, who looked more terrified than Rose. His eyes turned wild as he looked around frantically, "That thing down there, the liquid. Celeste, it can talk!"

Celeste crinkled her nose, "You both smell terrible." She glanced up at the Doctor who casually walked down the stairs, looking at them in mild disdain. "Looks like they're both alive," she told him.

He continued past her, continuing down the stairs, "Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy. Not sure why she's alive though. Just lucky."

Celeste scowled at him but said nothing. Rose couldn't keep her thoughts to herself however, "Some help you are. Not telling her we could be alive."

The Doctor snorted, "Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" He kept going down towards the Consciousness. Stopping in front of it, he took a breath and began to speak. "Am I addressing the Consciousness?" He paused, the response coming from the liquid quickly. He smiled again, "Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of a warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?"

Celeste snickered in amusement. The Consciousness roared in anger at the suggestion and said something else, causing the Doctor to scoff.

"Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights." The Consciousness roared again, interrupting the Doctor. "I am talking!" he yelled out, the Consciousness folding in on itself in response. "This planet is just starting," the Doctor continued, "These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go." He didn't notice the two plastic men coming up behind him but Celeste did. She gasped and shouted out to him.

"Doctor! Behind you!" The plastic men grabbed the Doctor who immediately started to struggle, glancing back at Celeste who was staring at him with worry. One of the plastic men grabbed the anti-plastic from his pocket, showing it to the Consciousness who roared furiously.

"That was just insurance! I wasn't going to use it," He pleaded, still struggling. The Consciousness replied again. "I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not. What do you mean?" His head whipped back as a door slip, revealing the TARDIS. The Doctor turned back to the liquid, despair on his face.

"No. Oh, no. Honestly, no. Yes, that's my ship. That's not true! I should know, I was there! I fought in the war! It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!" The Doctor's voice broke, tears in his eyes. Celeste closed her own eyes in response, hearing the pain in his voice. She knew the Doctor was always haunted by the Time Wars, never forgiving himself for what he was unable to do and for what he actually did. Her eyes snapped open as the Consciousness roared again, clearly furious.

"What's happening?" Celeste called out.

"It's the TARDIS! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final phase. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Celeste! Just get out of here!" He cried out, struggling even more to get free. Celeste looked around for some way to help the Doctor when she felt a tug on her jeans. Rose and Mickey were staring up at her, clearly terrified.

"He said to go, we should go!" Rose said shakily. Mickey nodded furiously in agreement and Celeste growled, "You two, get by the blue box. NOW!"

Mickey and Rose jumped up and hastily obeyed Celeste. The Nestene launched the psychic signal to control the plastic and the Doctor looked at Celeste in horror who had a determined look on her face. "I'm not going to let some plastic junk take over this planet. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" She cried out, running over to the ax laying on the catwalk. She hacked at the rope holding them together, grabbing the chains once they were free. Rose looked at Celeste in shock, "Celeste! What are you doing?"

Celeste shot her a grin, "I'm living!" She let out a small scream as she launched herself at the plastic men, kicking them both and knocking the anti-plastic onto the Nestene. She clung to the chains as she started to swing back, looking back at the Doctor who had his arms out, "Celeste!"

Celeste let go of the chains just as the Doctor wrapped his arms around her. He grinned at her as the Nestene screamed out in pain. "Now we're in trouble." Celeste laughed as he grabbed her hand and they hurried to the TARDIS. The Doctor shoved aside Mickey who was clingy pathetically to the door and dragged Celeste inside after throwing open the door. Rose and Mickey clambered in after the two, the door banging shut behind them. The Doctor threw some switches and the TARDIS disappeared way from danger.

* * *

Once the TARDIS had stopped, Mickey flung himself outside and hid behind some pallets, whimpering pathetically. Rose stomped after him, "Really Mickey. You're being ridiculous. We're fine!"

Celeste walked towards them at a slower pace, shaking her head in amusement. The Doctor leaned against the door, watching the three of them. Rose turned back to the Doctor and put her hands on her hips. "Fat lot of good you were."

The Doctor smiled and shrugged, "Nestene Consciousness? Easy."

Celeste laughed, "You'd be dead if I hadn't interfered."

The Doctor grew serious, "Yes, I would. Thank you." Celeste's eyes widened as he stared at her. She flushed slightly and looked down at the ground, biting her lip anxiously. The Doctor straightened, clearing his throat, "Right then, I'll be off. Unless, I don't know. You could come with me. This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge."

Celeste's head jerked upwards and she took a step forward, eyes wide. Mickey started shaking his head furiously, reaching out for Rose, who had also looked tempted by the idea, "Don't! He's an alien! He's a thing!"

The Doctor's gaze didn't falter from Celeste's green eyes, "He's not invited. What do you think? You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere."

Rose bit at her fingernail, looking between the Doctor and Mickey, "Is it always this dangerous?"

The Doctor flicked his eyes to her briefly, "Yeah."

Rose looked bolstered by the statement but when she glanced at Mickey she deflated slightly. She looked back over to the Doctor, "Yeah, I can't. I've got to go and find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump so..." She trailed off, eyes still locked on the TARDIS.

The Doctor looked over at Celeste. "What about it? Fancy the universe?" He asked softly.

Celeste's eyes twinkled as she took a few confident steps forwards, "Offering me the universe? Do you do that to everyone that saves you from plastic men?"

The Doctor grinned, "Only the cute ones. Well, cute for an ape I suppose."

Celeste threw her head back and let out a sharp bark of laughter. She jogged up to the TARDIS and mock saluted the Doctor. "Ready when you are." He grabbed her hand and glanced over at Rose, "Sure you don't want to come? Did I mention that this was also a time machine?"

Rose's eyes lit up. She started walking forward, briefly looking back at Mickey, "Thanks."

Mickey looks up at Rose, confused, "For what?"

She smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek briefly, "Exactly."

She ran to the TARDIS as the Doctor tugged Celeste inside. The doors closed behind Rose and the TARDIS disappeared, leaving Mickey gaping like an idiot.


	3. End of the World Pt 1

AN: Look at me go, another chapter! Yay! We're just cruising right along. Same disclaimers apply, I don't own Doctor Who blah blah blah. I just own Celeste and any other characters I make up for the purposes of plot progression or random unnecessary deaths. So I have over a hundred views, which may seem like nothing but I think it's awesome. If you've never posted a story on here before, I strongly recommend doing so. It's utterly fascinating to see people from different countries reading your story (that's right random person in Tunisia, I'm talking about you! You're awesome!).

If anyone is curious about the rating, the story will be a bit graphic later on. This is also not one of those stories where the Doctor will be cold to Celeste in one chapter then suddenly realize he's madly in love with her the next. I want to show how he grows to care for her, first as a friend and then as more than a friend. So if you're looking for instant gratification, you're reading the wrong story. And, in case anyone was wondering when the watch was going to come in to play, don't expect it for awhile. I have a good idea of when I want to introduce it and it's not for some time. ^_^ On with the story!

* * *

Celeste glanced back as Rose jogged inside with a huge grin on her face. The Doctor turned to look at the two of them, "Right then, Rose Tyler and Celeste. Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time?"

Rose looked over at Celeste who merely nodded to her. Rose grinned and looked over at the Doctor once more, "Forwards."

The Doctor jumped up and stood in front of the controls. "How far?" he asked, looking at her expectantly.

Rose shrugged, "One hundred years?" The Doctor smirked and flicked a few switches. A few moments later the engines stopped humming and he looked back at Rose. "There you go. Step outside those doors and it's the twenty second century."

Rose's jaw dropped, "You're kidding."

Celeste chuckled, "Don't think he is."

The Doctor threw a wink over at Celeste who merely shook her head. "That's a bit boring, though. Do you want to go further?"

"Fine by me," Rose said, eagerness on her face. The Doctor pulled a few more levers and pushed a few more buttons. The engines stopped again and the Doctor looked at her triumphantly. "Ten thousand years into the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire."

Rose laughed incredulously, "You think you're so impressive."

The Doctor feigned a hurt look, "I am so impressive."

Celeste snorted, "You can do better than ten thousand years, Doctor. Show us what this beautiful machine can really do."

The Doctor smirked at her, "Right then, you asked for it. Don't come crying to me later if you can't handle it. I know exactly where to go. Hold on!" He dashed around the console, plugging in coordinates and numbers. Rose clung to the console while Celeste leaned casually against it, letting herself flow with the light shakes of the TARDIS. She silently wondered how the Doctor could go from piloting the machine fairly well to being utter rubbish at it. At the thought, she felt a gentle touch on her mind causing her to nearly fall forward in shock.

_No way. Is that… The TARDIS? Can you really hear me?_ The gentle touch came back, feeling almost amused this time around. Celeste shook her head in disbelief and wonder. _Unreal! You really are sentient. Well, I mean that was always discussed in the show but we rarely saw it. Wait, do you know that I'm…_ She trailed off in her thoughts.

The TARDIS nudged her again, silently telling her yes. Celeste frowned, brows furrowing, _If you know… Then was it you? You in the street? Did you somehow bring me here?_ Celeste paused, waiting for a response from the TARDIS but received nothing in her mind. Sighing in frustration, she turned back to the Doctor and Rose, who was cautiously making her way to the door. The Doctor was looking at Celeste curiously, "You all right?"

Celeste forced a smile and nodded, "Yeah, just thinking. Where are we then?"

The Doctor merely smiled and gestured to the door. With a quick grin, she rushed after Rose who had already exited the TARDIS. The Doctor followed the pair, using his sonic screwdriver to raise the screen blocking the window. Rose walked closer to the window as though hypnotized by what she was seeing. Celeste sat down on the steps and propped her head in her hands, staring at the sight of the Earth.

The Doctor stepped down after Rose, standing next to her, "You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to be killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take the time to imagine the impossible, that maybe, you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years into your future, and this is the day," he paused to look at his watch. "Hold on."

At that moment, the sun flared brightly, turning an angry red. The Doctor looked out and continued, "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world!"

Rose stared at the Sun in horror. The Doctor glanced at her and was unsurprised by her reaction. He looked back at Celeste who was staring at the Sun with a look of fascinated wonder, seemingly undisturbed by the thought of her world being destroyed. He walked back over to where Celeste was sitting and stood staring down at her, arms crossed over his chest. Celeste tore her gaze from the sun and looked up at him. "Yes, Doctor?" She asked softly.

The Doctor frowned and opened his mouth to say something but the sound of an announcement over the intercom interrupted him. The Doctor turned back to Rose, calling to her softly and gesturing to the door. Rose nodded and he looked down at Celeste again, holding out his hand. She grabbed it and he hauled her up, immediately dropping her hand to grab Rose's hand whom he dragged through the open door. Celeste frowned, not sure what his sudden problem with her was. Shrugging it off, she followed the pair down the hallway, the voice still talking over the intercom.

"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine…"

"So, when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked.

The Doctor shrugged, "Depends what you mean by people."

"I mean people. What do you mean?"

"Aliens!" The Doctor said cheerfully.

Rose frowned, "What are they doing on board a spaceship? What's it all for?"

"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn." The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and opened the door into the viewing gallery. Celeste followed the pair silently, feeling a bit put out at being excluded from the conversation.

Rose gasped as they entered another area filled with artifacts and another view of the Earth. Rose walked over to the window while Celeste looked at some of the artifacts. She smiled as some of the text on one of the scrolls automatically translated to English. Mentally thanking the TARDIS, she drifted from artifact to artifact in an attempt to ignore the Doctor and Rose over by the window.

"Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich," the Doctor said dryly.

Rose shook her head, "But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years."

"Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there?" He gestured towards the small object that was floating around the Earth. "Gravity satellites holding back the sun."

"The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things."

"They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's classic Earth. But now the money's run out and nature takes over."

"How long's it got?"

"About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted!" The Doctor said gleefully.

Rose looked at him appraisingly, "Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"

Celeste had quietly walked over to them at this point, having looked at the artifacts in the gallery. She jumped in and spoke up before the Doctor, "It's five billion years into the future. Nature can only be stopped for so long. It's far past the time for Earth to finally be consumed and turned back into dust."

Rose looked at her in surprise, having forgotten about her for the moment, "But what about the people?"

The Doctor spoke quickly, "It's empty. They're all gone. No one left."

Rose looked back at the Earth sadly, "Just us, then."

Celeste nodded and stood next to her as they stared silently at the planet they called home. A blue skinned man stomped towards them angrily from behind one of the artifacts. "Who the hell are you?" He asked harshly.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Oh, that's nice, thanks."

The blue man continued as if he hadn't spoken, "But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

Celeste snorted and muttered under her breath, "I think you need to look up the definition of hospitality. You're a bit off the mark there."

The Doctor shot her an amused look before taking out his psychic paper. Celeste smiled back and turned back to the blue skinned man. The Doctor showed him the seemingly blank sheet of paper, "That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus two. I'm the Doctor, that's Rose Tyler and that's Celeste. They're my plus twos. Is that all right?" He shoved the paper back into his pocket and looked at the blue skinned man expectantly.

The blue skin man looked a bit uncomfortable and cleared his throat awkwardly, "Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." He quickly walked away from the three of them and stood behind a lectern. The Doctor leaned over to Rose to whisper to her, "The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."

Rose was still staring at the alien, "He's blue."

The Doctor nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay," Rose said hesitantly, looking around the room a bit. Celeste chuckled and rolled on the balls of her feet, excited for the dignitaries to start showing up. The blue man cleared his throat and spoke once more, "We have in attendance the Doctor, Rose Tyler and Celeste. Thank you. All staff to their positions." Many small people suddenly appeared and moved about the room. Celeste had to grip her hands together to prevent herself from clapping like an idiot. She kept her eyes glued to the doors, her excitement building.

"Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa."

Rose stared at the barked skinned woman, her face displaying disbelief. Celeste bounced happily, as Jabe approached where the three of them were standing. The blue skinned man continued to drone on, "There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon." Moxx entered, looking around the room imperiously.

"And next, from the Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme." The black robed individuals walk through the door, Celeste barely preventing a scowl from showing on her face. She muttered under her breath about last humans being conniving witches but stopped when she noticed the Doctor staring at her again. She smiled quickly and turned her attention back to the door.

"The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you." The reptilians entered the room as the Steward continued on, "Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light."

At this point Jabe had approached the Doctor, "The gift of peace. I bring you a cutting of my grandfather." She held out a twig in a pot of dirt. The Doctor took it and handed it to Rose, who looked at it skeptically. The Doctor started patting at his pockets, "Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return air from my lungs." He breathed gently on Jabe whose eyes fluttered as she smiled coyly up at the Doctor. Celeste rolled her eyes at the pair of them.

"How intimate," Jabe purred.

The Doctor, slightly oblivious to her flirtation, smiled, "There's more where that came from."

Jabe looked at the Doctor from underneath her eyelashes, "I bet there is." She walked away with her entourage and Celeste turned her attention back to the door where the Steward was introducing another guest. Rose glared after Jabe, her irritation with the woman evident.

"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe."

The Face of Boe, otherwise known as Jack Harkness, rolled into the room and Celeste felt her heart pounding faster. She wanted to rush over and ask him a dozen questions. Was she still with the Doctor in the future? Was she dead? Did the Doctor think of her as a friend? Was Jack mad about living for so long? Should she try to save some people she knew were going to die? And the biggest question of all, did he know why she was here?

Biting her lip, she glanced over at the Doctor and Rose who were chatting with Moxx. Seeing that the Doctor was focused on Rose for the moment, she snuck around the room and approached Jack. When she was about ten feet away, she paused, suddenly unsure if she should actually talk to him. What if talking to him messed up something in the future? She was about to turn away when she heard a voice in her head, _"No need to be shy, my dear. Come over here and let me see you."_

Celeste jerked and stared at Jack in shock. She walked up to him and knelt down, staring into his eyes. "Hello, Jack," she said softly. She heard him chuckle inside her mind. _"So cautious. So unlike the beautiful young woman I know. You're so young. Given how you're acting, this is the first time you and I have met, yes?"_

Celeste nodded, unsure of what to say.

"_You can ask, little one. I can hear the question burning in your mind."_

Celeste paused a moment before blurting out, "Do you know why I'm here? How I got here? Should I be trying to get back to my own universe instead of gallivanting around with Rose and the Doctor?"

Jack smiled at her gently, _"You needn't fear the future, little one. Everything will be revealed in time. You are more special than you know. Never doubt yourself and follow your heart in all things. I will tell you this one small detail: you and the Doctor will see so much and you will be important to him. Now, go back to the Doctor and Rose before they get suspicious. We'll see each other again, little one."_

Celeste wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes at his words. She nodded silently, and pressed a hand to the glass in silent thanks. Jack winked at her and she smiled shakily. Standing up, she walked away from him and stood behind the Doctor and Rose, quietly reflecting on Jack's words. The Doctor glanced back at her curiously and she quickly smiled at him, gesturing back to the Steward who was about to introduce the last guest. The Doctor turned back around but not before throwing her a suspicious look. Sighing in relief that he didn't question her, she focused on the door and wondered at how Cassandra would look up close.

"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call for the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

Cassandra was rolled in by two attendants dressed in white. Cassandra looked about the room haughtily, "Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand! Moisturise me. Moisturise me."

The attendants immediately sprayed Cassandra while Rose walked around her, trying to figure out how she could possibly be talking or existing at all. Celeste clenched her jaw. She always found Cassandra to be one of the most pathetic beings in the Doctor Who universe. Her constant desire to be 'thin' had caused her to remove everything it meant to be human. Humans weren't perfect; they were weird, strange, clumsy, and beautiful. Snorting softly in derision, she focused in on what Cassandra was saying again, missing the look that the Doctor had shot her.

"Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I've come to honour them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold! I bring gifts! From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband?" The crowd laughed lightly while Rose looked at Cassandra in disgust. "Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."

A 50's jukebox was wheeled in and set down near Cassandra. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers! Play on!" One of the attendants reached over pressing a button. The song _Tainted Love_ by Soft Cell started playing. Rose's jaw dropped and she looked between Cassandra and the jukebox. The Doctor smiled and danced in place for a moment, Celeste looking at him as if he was insane.

The Steward approached the microphone again, "Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes."

Rose dashed out of the room, overwhelmed by everything. The Doctor frowned and looked back at Celeste, who waved her hand towards where Rose had run off. "Go on, after her. I'll be fine here." He nodded and continued to follow, only to be stopped by Jabe who took a photo of him. After the photo, Jabe started poking at the device in her hand, speaking to it softly. Celeste sighed, wondering what she should do while the Doctor looked for Rose. She frowned sadly as she thought of the plumber that would die soon after speaking to Rose. She was tempted to try to prevent her death but she remembered vividly the Doctor's words to Rose about the little people being the most important. Resolving to stay in the room, she wandered around and listened in to the conversations around her.

* * *

Rose stumbled into a room and wandered to the window to stare at the Sun. A young blue woman walked into the room causing Rose to turn around and look at her apologetically. "Sorry. Am I allowed to be in here?"

The woman looks at Rose cautiously, "You have to give us permission to talk."

Rose's face looked taken aback, "Er, you have permission."

The woman's face brightened, "Thank you. And, no, you're not in the way. Guests are allowed anywhere."

Rose nodded, "Okay."

The woman turned to a wall panel and removed it, tinkering with some tools. Rose stared at her for a moment before blurting out another question, "What's your name?"

The woman looks over at Rose in surprise, "Raffalo."

"Raffalo?"

Raffalo nodded and turned back to the panel, "Yes, miss. I won't be long, I've just got to carry out some maintenance. There's a tiny glitch in the Face of Boe's suite. There must be something blocking the system. He's not getting any hot water."

Rose smiled suddenly, "So, you're a plumber?"

Raffalo nodded again, still focused on the panel in front of her, "That's right, miss."

Rose's smile grew, "They still have plumbers?"

Raffalo threw an amused glance over at Rose, "I hope so, else I'm out of a job." Rose chuckled, finally relaxing for the first time since stepping foot on the station. She leaned against the wall and asked Raffalo another question. "Where are you from?"

"Crespallion."

"That's a planet, is it?"

"No. Crespallion's part of the Jaggit Brocade, affiliated to the Scarlet Junction, Convex fifty six. And where are you from, miss? If you don't mind me asking."

Rose shifted, suddenly uncomfortable, "No, not at all. Er, I don't know. A long way away. I just sort of hitched a lift with this man along with a friend of mine. I didn't even think about it. I don't even know who is is. He's a complete stranger." Rose's voice trailed off, her eyes widening as she realized what she'd done. With a shake of her head, she pushed off the wall and looked to Raffalo, "Anyway, don't let me keep you. Good luck with it."

"Thank you, miss. And, um, thank you for the permission. Not many people are that considerate."

"Okay. See you later." Rose left the room and wandered down the halls, not even knowing that Raffalo was being dragged into the conduit by several metal spiders.

* * *

Rose found her way back to the observation deck that they had first arrived on and was tossing the metal ball that the Repeated Meme had given her.

"Earth Death in twenty five minutes. Earth Death in twenty five minutes."

Rose sighed, "Oh, thanks." She placed the ball down and picked up the twig. She looked at it curiously for a moment. "Hello. My name's Rose. That's, sort of a plant. We might be related." She scowled suddenly, setting the plant down again. "I'm talking to a twig."

The metal ball opened and a small metal spider popped out. It turned around in a circle before starting to scan Rose's hand. Rose didn't hear or feel the scan, shifting only to get feeling back into her legs. The Doctor suddenly called out to Rose, causing the spider to scurry away.

"Rose? Are you in there?"

The Doctor sauntered in and sat down across from Rose, smiling cheerfully at her. "Aye, aye. What do you think, then?"

Rose forced a smile on her face, but it changed to more of a grimace, "Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper." She paused, kicking her feet. "They're just so… Alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien."

The Doctor snorted, "Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South."

Rose looked at him thoughtfully, "Where are you from?"

"All over the place," the Doctor said quickly, his face dropping as he stared at the ground.

"They all speak English though."

The Doctor perked up, "No, you just hear English. It's a gift of the TARDIS. The telepathic field, gets inside your brain and translates."

Rose frowned at him, "It's inside my brain?"

He shrugged, "Well, in a good way."

"Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?" She says, her eyes blazing in anger.

The Doctor looked taken aback at her anger, "I didn't think about it like that."

Rose rolled her eyes, the anger still evident on her face, "No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"

He scowled, "I'm just the Doctor."

"From what planet?"

"Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!" he exclaimed, his fists clenching.

Rose glared at him, "Where are you from?"

"What does it matter?!"

Rose stood up and stomped her foot, "Tell me who you are!"

The Doctor stood up and glared down at her, "This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me."

Rose's face turned pleading, "Yeah, and I'm here too because you brought me here. So just tell me."

Their argument was interrupted by the computer, "Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes." Rose took a deep breath and a few steps back. "All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." She pulled out her mobile, holding it up in an attempt to see if she could get a signal.

"Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit." She lowered the phone, looking at it in defeat. The Doctor sighed and grabbed her phone pulling it open. "Tell you what. With a little bit of jiggery pockery…" He continued to fiddle with the phone. Rose smiled at him, previous argument temporarily forgotten. "Is that a technical term, jiggery pockery?"

The Doctor threw her a grin, "Yeah, I came first in jiggery pockery. What about you?"

Rose rolled her eyes, "No, I failed hullabaloo." She took the phone that the Doctor had finished messing with, looking up at him curiously.

"There you go. Give it a try."

She dialed her mum's number and nearly dropped it when Jackie picked it up. The Doctor smiled and meandered around the room, letting Rose talk to her mother. After a few moments, Rose let the phone drop and stared at it in wonder. She turned, her mouth open about to ask the Doctor when he beat her to it.

"Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill."

Her mouth gaped open and shut, "That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead."

The Doctor frowned at her, "Bundle of laughs, you are." Suddenly, the space station shook violently. The Doctor looked around, concern on his face. "That's not supposed to happen." His eyes widened, "Celeste!" He dashed out of the room, Rose close on his heels.

* * *

Celeste had felt the station shaking and glared at Cassandra out of the corner of her eye. She heard Moxx continue speaking, "Indubitably, this is the Bad Wolf scenario. I find the inherent laxity of the on-going multiverse…" Celeste zoned him out and saw the Doctor and Rose burst into the room, the Doctor speaking furiously fast.

"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. Celeste! You all right?" She nodded to him and he continued on, "What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?"

Jabe looked at him helplessly, "It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me."

The Doctor looked around the room, "Where's the engine room?"

Jabe placed a hand on his arm, "I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite. I could show you, your wife and your mistress."

Celeste choked, looking at Jabe in disbelief, "What?!" Rose also stared at Jabe incredulously.

The Doctor frowned, gesturing to Celeste and Rose, "She's not my wife and she's not my mistress."

Jabe cocked her head to the side, "Partners?"

"No."

"Concubines?"

"No."

"Prostitutes?"

Rose let out a sound of disgust, "Whatever we are, we must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. Celeste and I will go catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson. Come on, Celeste." Celeste chuckled at her friend, shooting the Doctor a smug look as they walked away. The Doctor scowled at them.

"Don't start a fight!" he called out. Celeste waved an arm in response. He offered his arm to Jabe, smiling politely. "I'm all yours."

Celeste turned around, yelling out to the Doctor, "And I want you home by midnight, mister!"

Rose laughed, "Nice."

Celeste smirked at her. They approached Cassandra and contemplated her silently.

Cassandra sighed dramatically, looking out at the Earth, "Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun."

"What happened to everyone else? The human race, where did it go?" Rose asked.

Cassandra sniffed, "They say mankind has touched every star in the sky."

"So, you're not the last human," Celeste stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

Cassandra scoffed disdainfully, "I am the last pure human. The others mingled." She said the word mingled with such disgust that Rose had to raise a brow. "Oh, they call themselves New humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, even 'Humanish,' but you know what I call them? Mongrels," Cassandra spat.

Rose nodded, her eyes flashing in annoyance, "Right. And you stayed behind."

"I kept myself pure," Cassandra drawled. If she had a body, she would have preened. Celeste rolled her eyes, not able to believe that someone could be so self involved.

"How many operations have you had?" Celeste asked dryly.

"Seven hundred and eight," Cassandra proclaimed proudly. "Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Celeste. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out."

"I'd rather die," Celeste bit out.

"It doesn't hurt," Cassandra replied casually.

Celeste turned and stared at Cassandra, her face flat, "No, I mean it. I would rather die. It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline."

"Oh, well. What do you know? Stupid girl," Cassandra replied.

Celeste took a threatening step forward, "I was born on that planet, and so was my mum, dad, the woman who ultimately adopted me. Same with Rose. Her parents grew up on Earth and she was born there. That officially makes use the last human beings in this room, because you're not human. You've had everything nipped, tucked, and flattened until there's nothing left. Anything human that was in you was chucked out. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. It was nice talking to you." With that, Celeste spun on her heels and strode out of the room, furious and depressed. Rose glared at Cassandra and followed Celeste out of the room a few moments later.

Celeste muttered to herself as she stormed down the hallways, not paying attention to where she was going. She was so caught up in her furious muttering that she forgot about the Adherents that had knocked out Rose so she could only gasp as two appeared in front of her. Letting out a groan at her own foolishness, she tried to run only to be hit on the head. She instantly collapsed and the Adherents locked her in a room. Rose showed up to the hallway a few moments later, looking for Celeste. She continued on when she was unable to find her.

"Eart Death in ten minutes. Earth Death in ten minutes."


	4. End of the World Pt 2

AN: Still on a roll, I am. Usual disclaimer still applies, I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe, I only own Celeste and any characters I create only to kill the most dramatic ways possible. I'm going to try to get more of the Doctor's side of things soon, just for the sake of doing so. I'll try to make the change between viewpoints as clear as possible but if it's too confusing please let me know so I can update it. Also, this chapter is a bit shorter simply because I wanted to finish up the End of the World before I went to bed. I'll have more chapters up soon! Please read and review!

* * *

Back on the observation gallery, Cassandra addressed the guests. "The planet's end. Come gather, come gather. Bid farewell to the cradle of civilization. Let us mourn her with a traditional ballad." One of Cassandra's attendants hit a button on the jukebox and Britney Spears' _Toxic_ starts to play.

At the same time, the Doctor and Jabe were making their way to the Steward's room. They see several little assistants at the door, smoke coming from the room.

"Hold on. Get back!" the Doctor shouted at them. He rushed up to the panel next to the door, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. After a moment, a noise could be heard from inside and the computer chimed, "Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

"Is the Steward in there?!" Jabe asked, panicked.

The Doctor looked grim, "You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend." The Doctor dashed down the hallway, hoping that he wasn't too late to stop another person from dying.

Celeste moaned, bringing a hand to her head. "Good going, Celeste. Really smart. You knew that Cassandra was trouble but you just had to open your stupid mouth," she muttered darkly. She rubbed her eyes trying to focus when she suddenly realized where she was.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, struggling to her feet. She looked at the window fearfully and seconds later, the computer chimed, "Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

Letting out a groan, she turned to the door and started banging on it. "Doctor! Doctor! Doctor, you have to stop the filter! Please!" Hearing nothing, she let out a frustrated scream and kicked the door. "Somebody! Open the damn door!" She looked back and saw more of the Sun's rays filtering into the room. Tears filled her eyes and she hit the door a few more times. "Please, Doctor. You have to open the door!"

"Anyone in there?" The Doctor called out as he ran up to the panel next to the door.

Celeste gasped in relief, "Doctor, you have to get me out!"

The Doctor grit his teeth, "Why am I not surprised?"

Celeste kicked the door, "Don't get smart with me! Just focus on opening the door!"

"Hold on! Give us two ticks."

Rose ran around the corner, spotting the Doctor working on the panel. "Doctor! I can't find Celeste!"

He glanced at Rose briefly before turning his attention back to the panel, "She's behind the door about to be turned to ash." Rose paled and hurried to his side.

"You're going to get her out, right?"

"Anytime now would be great!" Celeste shouted, crouching by the door to avoid the deadly rays.

The computer chimed, "Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending." The Doctor growled at the panel and pressed a few more buttons. "Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

"You did it!" Rose cheered. The Doctor smiled at her.

"Doctor…" Celeste said, worry in her tone. The Doctor opened his mouth to reassure her but the computer chimed again, "Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending." The Doctor glared at the panel, furiously working again. Rose looked at him worriedly, biting her lip.

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising." The Doctor continued to work on the door, his brow furrowing in concentration.

Celeste continued to sit by the door, gasping for breath. She wiped the sweat from her brow and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Doctor, you'll be able to get the door open… Right?" She couldn't help the fear in her voice. Despite knowing that he could open the door and save her, she couldn't help being terrified.

"I will, Celeste. I promise. The computer's just getting clever," the Doctor said tersely.

Celeste dove down the stairs as the rays hit the remainder of the door. She glanced up and groaned again. "The lock's melted!"

The Doctor growled in frustration, "The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there! Rose, come with me!"

Celeste glared at the door, "Where the hell am I going to go? Mars?!" She looked at the sun filter that was slowly lowering. "I'm so going to haunt his ass if I die here," she muttered.

* * *

Jabe was in the middle of telling the other guests what was going on when the Doctor and Rose burst in. "The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One."

"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me," Cassandra said.

"Summon the Steward!" Moxx cried out.

"I'm afraid the Steward's dead," Jabe said sadly.

Moxx gasped, "Who killed him?"

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face!" Cassandra screeched.

"Easy way of finding out. Someone brought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master." The Doctor set down one of the metal spiders and it flicked to life. It scuttled over to Cassandra and scanned her briefly. After a few moments it tittered about and wandered over to the black robed group. It halted and stood there expectantly. The Doctor sauntered forward and Rose shifted anxiously. Rose kept glancing at the door, worried about Celeste. "Doctor…" she whispered.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme! J'accuse!" Cassandra cried out.

"I know Rose. That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," he paused next to the leader of the Adherents who tried to hit him. He grabbed the arm and yanked it off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." He pulled at a wire and the remaining Adherents collapsed. He turned back to the spider and nudged it. "Remote controlled droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home."

The spider walked forward, weaving around the room a bit before stopping in front of Cassandra. Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!" Cassandra's attendants raised their spray guns threateningly. The Doctor looked at them and scoffed.

"What are you going to do? Moisturize me?"

"With acid," Cassandra replied smugly. "Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face."

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?" The Doctor bit out, his eyes darkening in anger.

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous," Cassandra lamented.

"Five billion years and it still comes down to money," the Doctor spat.

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this?" Cassandra replied angrily. "Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not that freaky little kid of yours. Oh, but where's the other one? Aww, poor thing. Wasn't too fond of the Sun?"

The Doctor clenched his fists as Rose brought her hand to her mouth in shock. "She's not dead," Rose shouted.

"Arrest her! The Infidel!" Moxx cried out, pointing a finger at Cassandra.

"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option."

"Earth Death in three minutes."

"And here it comes," Cassandra sang out. "You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Oh yes. Burn, baby, burn."

"Then you'll burn with us!" Jabe called out.

Cassandra cackled, "Oh I'm sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate!" Several explosions ripped through the station. "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me. Bye bye darlings. Bye bye." With that, Cassandra and her attendants teleported out. The remaining guests immediately burst into frightened chatter.

"Reset the computer!" Moxx shouted.

Jabe shook her head, "Only the Steward would know how."

"No! We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, come with me. Rose, stay here and hide behind one of the pillars. Stay out of the rays. The rest of you chill out." The Doctor ordered firmly. He and Jabe ran out of the room and Rose ducked behind one of the pillars. Rose bit her lip and crouched down, clutching her knees in fear.

* * *

The Doctor and Jabe ran into the maintanence tunnel, the computer toning on about heat levels rising. The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Oh. And guess where the switch is." He and Jabe look at the giant fans and the console at the other side. The Doctor grabbed a nearby lever and the fans slowed. Releasing the lever caused them to speed up again. Jabe reached over and grabbed the lever, holding it down.

"You can't! The heat's going to vent through this place!" The Doctor exclaimed, looking at her in concern.

Jabe merely smiled at him, "I know."

"Jabe, you're made of wood."

Jabe winced as the heat level increased, "Then stop wasting time, Time Lord." The Doctor stared at her for a moment longer before running forward, dodging the first fan easily. He continued forward, dodging the fans one at a time. The heat levels in the room continue to rise and the Doctor glanced back at Jabe, seeing her scream and burst into flames. Unable to hold the lever, Jabe fell to the ground, the fans instantly speeding up until they blurred. The Doctor looked at the fans and at the breaker on the other side.

"Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six five…"

The Doctor closed his eyes and stepped past the last fan.

"Four."

Eyes snapping open, the Doctor lunged for the breaker. "Raise shields!" He yelled, resetting the computer swiftly.

"One."

The computer reset and a shield formed around the station just as the Earth started to boil. The Earth exploded, flinging molten earth throughout space and towards the station.

* * *

"Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair." The computer chimed. Celeste glanced up and sobbed in relief as the cracks in the window vanished. Standing up shakily, she watched as the last pieces of Earth float by. Pressing a hand to her mouth, Celeste silently cried for the loss of Earth but mostly because she was alive. Turning, she swiftly left the room, heading towards the gallery.

* * *

The Doctor made his way back through the fans, which had slowed down. He knelt by Jabe's remains, looking at her sadly. With a soft sigh, he stood up and left the room. He made it there a moment after Celeste, who was being hugged by Rose. The Doctor made his way over to Jabe's entourage, telling them of her death.

Rose and Celeste walked over to the Doctor, both of their faces displaying their concern. "You all right?" Rose asked cautiously. The Doctor started pacing, his eyes burning with rage.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one! Teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two! This feed must be hidden nearby." He smashed the alleged ostrich egg, revealing a small device inside. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the device. "Idea number three. If you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed." He pushes a button on the screwdriver, causing Cassandra to be warped back into the room.

"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces…" she trailed off upon seeing where she was. "Oh."

"The last human," the Doctor snarled.

Cassandra's eyes looked around the room fearfully, "So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club…" She trailed off.

"People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them."

"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter…"

The Doctor grinned sharply, "And creak?"

"And what?"

"Creak. You're creaking."

"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens! Moisturize me! Moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

Celeste stared at Cassandra, her earlier rage at the woman draining away as she slowly died. She walked up to the Doctor, placing her hand on his arm gently. "Doctor. Help her," she pleaded softly. He shifted his gaze to her and she took a step back from the storm that showed itself in his eyes.

"Everything has its time and everything dies," he bit out through clenched teeth.

"I'm too young!" Cassandra screamed. She exploded, pieces of her scattering throughout the room. Everyone stood still for a moment, unsure if it was over.

Celeste let out a breath, silently watching the rest of the guests file out of the gallery. She locked eyes with Jack, who smiled at her sadly before teleporting out of the room. A smile flit across her face briefly but she sobered when she glanced over at the Doctor who was standing by Rose. She walked over and joined them at the window. Rose stared sadly at the pieces of Earth floating by.

"The end of the Earth. It's gone," Rose said softly. Celeste placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. Rose looked back at Celeste gratefully.

"No one saw it go. All those years, all the history. No one even glanced at it…" Celeste trailed off, her eyes shifting over to the Doctor who was staring at her and Rose. He stood up straighter suddenly. "Come with me."

Rose and Celeste glanced at each but followed him silently back to the TARDIS.

* * *

The three of them exit the TARDIS in the middle of a street, surrounded by people going about their lives. Celeste couldn't help but pity them slightly for being so worried about the little things. The Doctor looked around before speaking again. "You think it'll last forever. People and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day, it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before it's time."

Celeste felt tears gather in her eyes, her heart twisting painfully at the thought of Gallifrey. Hearing the pain in his voice and seeing the devastated look in his eyes was infinitely worse than seeing it on TV. For the first time since she ended up in this universe, she wished she was back home where so much sadness couldn't be felt. She bit her lip and stared at the Doctor.

"What happened?" Rose asked quietly.

"There was a war and we lost."

"A war with who? What about your people?"

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else."

"There's me," Rose said softly. Celeste took a step forward.

"And me. I'm not leaving."

The Doctor looked between the two of them, "You've both seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?"

Celeste shook her head firmly, "No." The Doctor looked at her and nodded gratefully. She smiled at him in response.

Rose hesitated, "I don't know. I want…" She looked around suddenly. "Oh, can you smell chips?"

The Doctor smiled in relief, "Yeah. Yeah."

"I want chips," Rose said, looking around for the closest chips place.

"Me too!" The Doctor said cheerfully, his trademark grin back in place.

Celeste laughed, "Me three. Let's find a place to eat, yeah?"

Rose clasped her hands together, "Right then, before you get either of us back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay."

"No money."

Celeste threw up her hands in amusement, "What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me. We've only got about, five billion years until the shops close." Rose and the Doctor laughed at her and the three of them wandered off. Celeste breathed in, listening to Rose and the Doctor chat about nothing in particular. She knew, in that moment, that she was going to be okay. She might be terrified at times and she would most definitely be in danger at others. But what she would always be, was happy. With a grin and spring in her step, she joined her new friends in the adventure of a lifetime.

* * *

AN: The next chapter will be posted as soon as I get it out of my brain. So, hopefully soon! :D Until next time!


	5. 1860? Not so much

AN: I don't own Doctor Who, only Celeste. Disclaimers are BORING. Ugh. Anyway, this first part is my attempt at some original content involving the Doctor. I'm going a slightly different route with Rose, taking some of her less attractive personality traits and amplifying them a bit. She gets jealous pretty easily at times and she can be super whiney. So I've started to demonstrate some of that. I'll try not to Mary Sue Celeste too much so kick me if I start to get a little too crazy with her. I personally don't mind a bit of a mary sue in fanfics so she may be a bit too perfect at times. This chapter is an entire Doctor Who episode and is almost as long as chapter 3.

* * *

Celeste sighed as she heard another crash from a few rooms over. She could make out the Doctor and Rose arguing about something and whatever it was, it would just cause another headache for her. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she winced as another crash came from the room. She looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. "Are they supposed to argue like this? I don't remember them arguing in the show." The TARDIS brushed against her mind and Celeste smiled at the irritation that she felt. "Glad I'm not the only one who finds them annoying. Do I need to go sort them out or are you just going to toss them in the pool again?" The brush against her mind was amused this time. With a grin, she set aside the book she was reading and stood up.

Making her way slowly down the hallway, she could hear more of the argument between Rose and the Doctor.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I almost roasted alive! If Celeste hadn't gotten me down from the cage I would have been dropped into a volcano! Speaking of Celeste, you never give her grief for being captured! Oh no, always so concerned about her but what about me?!"

Celeste winced. The last adventure the Doctor had taken them on ended up involving a tribe that had a tendency to sacrifice young girls. They had locked the Doctor up and Rose had been trussed up as their new sacrifice. Celeste had barely escaped their clutches but managed to cause enough of a distraction to get Rose free and then save the Doctor. Needless to say, Rose was furious, largely that the Doctor hadn't saved her, and the Doctor had been a little put out at not being the hero. Celeste snorted as she remembered the pouting he had done once they had gotten back to the TARDIS.

"The point is that you're alive! Be grateful for that and move on. If you're so distraught over this, I can take you back home right now. And I don't treat Celeste any differently than I treat you. I worry about both of you!"

Heaving another sigh, Celeste walked into the room where the two were arguing, unsurprised to find it was the kitchen and that there were broken dishes everywhere. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Is there a problem?" she asked dryly.

The Doctor flung his hands up in the air. "Rose seems to take exception to everything I say!"

Rose glared at him, "Don't pin this on me! You're the insensitive ass. Celeste, he said that I function well as a damsel in distress. Can you seriously believe that?!"

Celeste rolled her eyes, "Rose, take a moment. You know that he doesn't always have a filter. You have to take the things he says with a grain of salt. And you," she said, rounding on the Doctor. "You should apologize. You can't say things like that to her and not expect a reaction."

The Doctor let out a grunt of irritation and pursed his lips. After a few moments of Celeste staring at him, he relented, "I apologize."

Rose opened her mouth to say something but Celeste held up a hand. "Rose, please, just let it go." Rose pressed her lips together and stormed out of the kitchen. The Doctor sighed heavily, collapsing in a chair. Celeste looked at him softly before running a gentle hand along the counter. "You know that she just wants you to say nice, sweet things to her. Not necessarily the truth." The Doctor grunted in response.

The TARDIS created a cup of tea for her, just as she liked it with one sugar and a splash of milk. She said a mental thanks, picking up the cup. She felt a gentle, affectionate brush at her mind. She took a sip with a small smile, unaware of the Doctor staring at her intently. She jumped slightly when he spoke, "How is it that my ship likes you more than it likes me."

She gave him a sly look, sipping the tea. "Perhaps it's because I don't get into arguments and throw dishes."

The Doctor looked around the kitchen, a flash of guilt crossing his face. "I suppose it got a little out of hand."

Celeste chuckled, "Ya think?" She stared at him with an eyebrow raised. He shifted uncomfortably before getting up and striding towards the counter to grab a banana. He peeled it and took a bite, looking anywhere but Celeste. She hid a smirk behind the cup. "Want to tell me what the argument was about?"

"It was nothing. She just, took exception to what I said. I merely mentioned that she was a good damsel in distress and she went off," he said, shrugging helplessly.

She stared at him for a moment, contemplating his statement. "I think you do it on purpose," she said bluntly.

The Doctor's eyes shifted to hers, sparking with irritation and disbelief, "That's ridiculous!"

She set down the cup calmly, unfazed by his ire. "I think you do it because you miss it. You miss having silly arguments with someone that isn't trying to kill you. I think you miss feeling normal." Her eyes turned sad as she looked at him.

The Doctor glared at her, "I don't miss anything. You have no idea what you're talking about. Don't speak about things you have no understanding of."

Celeste continued to stare at him, trying to keep her face neutral. "But I do understand. I have no family; my only real friends are you and Rose. I have nothing to go back to, not really. I consider the TARDIS to be my home now. At least until you decide you're sick of me and kick me off." She felt another brush against her mind, and smiled inwardly. _I'm glad you'll let me stay no matter what he says._

The Doctor softened at her speech and he stared across the kitchen blindly, lost in thought. He finished the banana in a few quick bites and tossed it away. He started to leave the kitchen, looking over his shoulder as he left, "I'm going to go grab Rose. Meet you at the control room, yeah?"

She nodded despite knowing he wouldn't see it. After he left, she glanced over at the broken dishes. "Can you get rid of those? Unless you have a broom that you can conjure up for me." The dishes disappeared in a flash and she chuckled. "Thanks." She hopped off the stool and went back to her room. She had a feeling that she knew where they were about to go and she needed to change into something less noticeable.

* * *

After saying a few apologies to one another, Rose and the Doctor had made their way to the control room. The Doctor threw some of the controls throwing the TARDIS into a jerky flight. Celeste fell against the bed in her room, silently cursing the Doctor's flying ability.

"Hold that one down!" The Doctor yelled at Rose, gesturing in her general direction.

Rose threw him a dirty look, "I'm holding _this_ one down!"

"Well, hold them both down."

"It's not going to work," Rose said through clenched teeth. She reached her arm across the console, trying to reach the other lever. Both Rose and the Doctor grasped the console as the TARDIS shook again.

"Oi! I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting! Now, you've seen the future, several times in fact. Let's have a look at the past. 1860. How does 1860 sound?"

"What happened in 1860?" Rose yelled, barely maintaining her grip on the lever she was holding.

The Doctor threw her a manic grin, "I don't know! Let's find out. Hold on, here we go!"

The TARDIS jerked again and the three passengers clung to what they could as it tumbled through the time vortex.

After the TARDIS had finished materializing, The Doctor and Rose got up from where they were lying on the floor.

"Blimey," Rose said with a groan.

"You're telling me. Are you all right?" The Doctor asked, wincing as he stood up himself.

"Yeah, I think so. Nothing broken at least. Did we make it? Where are we?"

The Doctor grinned, "I did it. Give the man a medal. Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860." He held out his arms, waiting for the applause that never came.

"That's so weird. It's Christmas."

"All yours. And Celeste's, I suppose. Where is that girl?" He said curiously, looking back at the doorway leading further into the TARDIS. Rose cleared her throat to get his attention again.

"But, it's like, think about it. Christmas. 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone. It's finished. Never to happen again. Except for you. You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never sit still."

The Doctor shrugged indifferently, "Not a bad life."

"Better with two." Rose paused, "Well, three. Come on, then." She started walking over to the door only to stop when the Doctor called out to her.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Rose paused and raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the door over her shoulder, "1860."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Go out there dressed like that, you'll start a riot, Barbarella. Not only that but we have to wait for Celeste. There's a wardrobe through there," he gestured over towards another hallway. "First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left. Hurry up!"

Celeste flicked an auburn curl over her shoulder and assessed her outfit. The TARDIS had selected a lovely navy gown for her that put emphasis on all the right areas. Surprisingly, the TARDIS had left her hair down, curly it gently around her shoulders with only a flower pin behind her left ear. Smoothing down the dress, she left her room and nearly ran into Rose.

"Oh god, I'm sorry Rose." She looked at Rose's outfit and smiled, "You look lovely! The dress suits you."

"Thanks! You look great too!" Rose said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Celeste, ignoring the forced smile for the moment, looped her arm through Rose's.

"Shall we?"

Rose nodded and the pair walked back to the control room, spotting the Doctor working under the console. Celeste shook her head in amusement while Rose tapped her foot impatiently.

"Well, Doctor, are we going or what?" Rose asked.

The Doctor pulled his head out from underneath the console and his eyes widened upon spotting the two of them.

"Blimey!"

Rose held out a hand, "Don't laugh."

The Doctor continued to stare, his eyes drifting down to take in both their outfits. He lingered on Celeste a moment longer, causing Rose to shift in irritation. "You both look beautiful, considering," he blurted out, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Rose crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze turning thunderous, "Considering what?"

The Doctor shrugged and turned away from them in an attempt to hide his reaction, "That you're human."

"I think that's a compliment," Celeste said dryly. Rose snorted and eyed the Doctor. "Aren't you going to change?" Rose asked.

The Doctor patted at his clothes, looking up at her in confusion, "I've changed my jumper. Now, let's go!" He started walking over to the door but stopped suddenly when Rose ran in front of him, hands on her hips.

"You stay there. You've done this before. This is mine." She turned around and slowly opened the door, taking a step out. The Doctor glanced back at Celeste who had walked slowly towards the door, letting Rose run the show for the moment. The Doctor shot her a grin which she returned and they followed Rose out the door.

Once outside, the Doctor offered an arm to each of them, "Ready for this? Here we go. History." The three of them walked down the street, listening to the Christmas carols being sung. Celeste marvelled at the buildings and inhaled deeply, thoroughly enjoying the fresh air. The Doctor paused for a moment to buy a newspaper, glancing at the headline. After a moment, he lowered it and frowned.

"I got the flight a bit wrong," He said sheepishly.

Celeste only hummed, a smile playing at her lips. Rose shrugged, "I don't care."

"It's not 1860, it's 1869."

"I don't care," Rose said firmly.

"And it's not Naples."

"I don't care."

"It's Cardiff."

Rose stopped, throwing the Doctor an annoyed look. Celeste laughed and continued walking towards the theater in anticipation of the scream that was about to come from it. After a few moments, people came running out of the theater screaming in terror. "Right on schedule," she murmured. The Doctor and Rose looked over at the theater in surprise. Celeste glanced at them, her eyes dancing in excitement. "Head first into danger, yes?"

The Doctor's face lit up, "That's more like it!" The three of them rushed to the theater to find out what had happened.

* * *

Inside the theater, a blue gas entity flew out of the corpse of an elderly woman, scaring the audience and causing them to flee. Charles Dickens yelled at the audience imploring them to stay calm. "Stay in your seats, I beg you! It is a lantern show. It's trickery!"

At the same time, the mortician, Sneed, and his assistant, Gwyneth were searching for the dead woman. Sneed pushed a fleeing person out of the way, "Excuse me!"

Gwyneth gasped and pointed near the front row, "There she is, sir!"

"I can see that. The whole blooming world can see that!" Sneed cried out in frustration.

The Doctor, Rose and Celeste stood next to the fleeing audience, trying to see what was going on. The Doctor bounced on his feet, trademark grin on his face. "Fantastic!" The Doctor and Rose made their way towards Charles who was still yelling at the audience. Celeste paused and looked over at Sneed and Gwyneth, who were rushing to the dead woman. Remembering the Doctor and Rose's argument from earlier, she rolled her eyes heavenward and made her way to Sneed and Gwyneth, intent on following them so she was captured instead of Rose. Having finally reached Charles, the Doctor immediately peppered him with questions.

"Did you see where it came from?"

Charles turned his furious gaze to the Doctor, "Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!"

Rose drew herself up looking offended at the statement, "Oi! We just got here! It's not our fault!"

With Rose and the Doctor distracted by Charles, Celeste watched as Sneed and Gwyneth picked up the corpse and started hauling it outside. Sighing in irritation, she yelled out, "Hey! Leave her alone!" Turning to Rose and the Doctor, she shouted at them, "Doctor! Rose! I'll get them!"

The Doctor threw a glance at her, nodding briefly, "Be careful!" He turned back to Charles, "Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor, by the way."

"And I'm Rose," Rose interjected quickly.

Charles looked at the two of them disdainfully, "Doctor? You look more like a navvie."

The Doctor frowned and look at his jumper, "What's with this jumper?" Rose rolled her eyes.

Outside the theater, Celeste chased after Sneed and Gwyneth. "What are you doing?!"

Gwyneth turned to Celeste, looking apologetic and wringing her hands, "Oh, it's a tragedy, miss. Don't worry yourself. Me and the master will deal with it. The fact is, this poor lady's been taken with the brain fever and we have to get her to the infirmary."

Celeste stormed up to them and placed her hand on the woman's neck. She yanked it back upon feeling the ice cold skin. "She's cold. She's dead!" She looked at Gwyneth, hoping her face looked properly horrified. "Oh, my god, what did you do to her?" She forced herself not to turn around as Sneed snuck up behind her and placed a cloth over her mouth and nose. She tugged at his arm and struggled briefly before her eyes rolled back into her head, blacking out.

Gwyneth gaped at Sneed, "What did you do that for?"

Sneed grunted as he attempted to lift Celeste into the hearse, "She's seen too much. Get her in the hearse. Legs!" With a soft cry of dismay, Gwyneth grabbed Celeste's legs and they got her inside, closing the door.

* * *

Back inside, the Doctor watched as the blue creature flew into a gas light and disappeared. He perked up, "Gas! It's made of gas!" He suddenly dashed towards the exit, calling for Rose as he did so. With a huff of irritation, Rose gathered up her skirts and rushed after him. They burst through the door, the Doctor looking around for any sign of the creature or Celeste. He spotted a bit of her dress being shoved into a hearse and his brows furrowed in concern. "Celeste!" He hurried towards a carriage, Charles and Rose hot on his heels.

"You're not escaping me, sir. What do you know about that hobgoblin, hmm? Projection on glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?" Charles asked.

The Doctor scowled at him briefly before reaching the carriage, "Yeah, mate. Not now, thanks. Rose, in the carriage! Oi, you! Follow that hearse!" The Doctor climbed in, Rose doing the same seconds later.

The driver frowned and looked back, "I can't do that sir."

The Doctor looked at him impatiently, "Why not?"

"I'll tell you why not! I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach!" Charles sputtered, his face blotchy from his growing anger.

"Well, get in, then! Move!" The Doctor yelled, yanking Charles inside. The Doctor shoved Charles in, causing him to squeeze in next to Rose, who looked less than pleased at the arrangement. The coach lurched forward as the driver whipped the horses, causing all three passengers to brace themselves. The Doctor looked out the window, his knee bouncing anxiously.

"Come on, you're losing them!"

The driver called over his shoulder, "Everything in order, Mister Dickens?"

"No! It is not!" Charles snarled. The Doctor snapped his head towards the other man, suddenly looking curious.

"What did he say?"

Rose stared at Charles too. "I think he said Dickens. As in…"

Charles kept ranting, ignoring the two of them, "Let me say this first. I'm not without a sense of humour."

"Dickens?" the Doctor asked.

Charles nodded sourly, "Yes."

"Charles Dickens?" the Doctor asked again.

Charles scowled, "Yes!"

"_The _Charles Dickens?" Rose chimed in, her eyes wide.

"Should I remove the gentleman and the lady, sir?" The driver called out in concern.

The Doctor grinned, "Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant. I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?"

Charles frowned, his anger seeping away, "A Christmas Carol?"

The Doctor waved a hand impatiently, "No, no, no, the one with the trains." He thought for a moment before he snapped his fingers, "The Signal Man! That's it. Terrifying! Best short story ever written. You're a genius! Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I'm such a big fan."

Charles looked taken aback, "A what? A big what?"

"Fan. Number one fan, that's me." He pointed to himself.

Charles cocked his head, still confused, "How exactly are you a fan? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?"

At that point, Rose was tired of the conversation and irritated at being shoved into a corner. "He means he likes your work. He thinks he's your biggest supporter," she snapped.

"Ah, I see," Charles said, still looking mildly confused.

The Doctor nodded enthusiastically but turned his head to look outside once more. Seeing the hearse quite a ways ahead, he shouted at the driver. "Come on, faster!"

"Who exactly is in that hearse?" Charles asked curiously.

"My friend. She's only eighteen. It's my fault. She's in my care and now she's in danger." The Doctor replied quickly, his eyes never leaving the hearse. Rose fiddled with a loose string on her dress, a bit worried about Celeste but mostly wanting to the Doctor to pay attention to her that didn't involve saying rude things.

A stricken look appeared on Charles' face, "Why are we wasting my time talking about dry old books? This is much more important!" He leaned out the window, "Driver! Be swift! The chase is on!"

Rose couldn't help but laugh at his sudden enthusiasm and the Doctor grinned, "Attaboy, Charlie."

* * *

Gwyneth and Sneed placed Celeste on a table, both of them looking at her nervously. "The poor girl's still alive, sir! What're we going to do with her?"

Sneed brushed his forehead, wiping away the sweat that had formed, "I don't know! I didn't plan any of this, did I. It isn't my fault if the dead won't stay dead!"

A knock could be heard on the door. Sneed hurried out of the room after locking the door, Gwyneth on his heels. He went into a side room and motioned for her to open the door. "Say I'm not in. Tell them we're closed. Just, just get rid of them." Gwyneth nodded and headed for the door, praying the people knocking would just leave.

Celeste groaned, her hand coming to rub at her temple. "I've got to stop this being rendered unconscious thing. It can't be good for me," she muttered. She opened her eyes and nearly groaned again at the sight of the dead woman and man nearby. Getting up, she got down from the table and clutched the edge when her head swam. Taking a few deep breaths, she steadied herself and made to step towards the door but the sound of whispers from behind her made her pause.

Slowly, she turned her head and felt herself pale at the sight of the man sitting up. "I hate zombies. I've always hated zombies. Worst concept in the entirety of the horror genre." She stumbled towards the door and hammered on it. "Let me out! Open the door!" She looked behind and gasped as the woman and man shuffled closer to her. She started banging on the door more frantically, "Come on! Doctor! I know you're out there! I would prefer not to be manhandled by dead people, thank you very much!"

* * *

Gwyneth opened the door partially, revealing the Doctor, Rose and Charles standing there expectantly. "I'm sorry, sir. We're closed," Gwyneth said softly, trying to close the door. The Doctor stuck out his hand, scoffing at her.

"Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master," Charles said.

"He's not in, sir," Gwyneth said, still trying to close the door.

"Don't lie to me, child. Summon him at once," Charles said tersely.

One of the gas lamps flared slightly and the Doctor stared at it intently. "Having trouble with your gas?"

"What the Shakespeare is going on?" Charles asked.

"What is it, Doctor?" Rose asked, looking at the lamp as well.

The Doctor slipped past Gwyneth and stood underneath the lamp, pressing his ear to the wall. "There's something inside the walls," he muttered. "The gas pipes. Something's living inside the gas." He tensed and looked down the hallway when he heard shouting.

"Let me out!"

"That's her. That's Celeste," the Doctor said just before running down the hallway.

"Doctor! Wait!" Rose called out, running after him. The Doctor ran into Sneed who had decided to remove the intruders himself. Sneed drew himself up, glaring at them, "How dare you, sir. This is my house!"

"Oh shut up," Charles snapped out.

The Doctor reached the door and put his ear to it, "Celeste?"

"Doctor!" Celeste called out in relief. "I would really appreciate it if you'd get me out of here. I'm not very fond of my present company." She screamed as the male corpse grabbed her. The Doctor glared at the door and kicked it down. His eyes blazed with fire at seeing the corpse manhandling Celeste. He reached over and wrapped an arm around her waist, "I think this is my dance." He yanked her backwards and maneuvered her behind him.

Charles stared at the corpses in horror, "It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence.

The Doctored peered at the corpses which swayed eerily in front of them, "No, we're not. The dead are walking." He turned and glanced back at Celeste. "Hi!"

Celeste chuckled, "Hello. I believe I've figured out my arch-nemesis."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Celeste smiled, "Yes. Locked doors."

The Doctor grinned, winking at her. Rose coughed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Who's the damsel in distress now?" she muttered.

Celeste rolled her eyes and looked at Charles, barely containing her excitement at meeting one of her favorite authors. "Who are you?"

The Doctor had turned back to the corpses but responded to Celeste's question, "That's Charles Dickens."

"Oh! Lovely. Pleasure to meet you. Loved Oliver Twist; gave me all sorts of horrible ideas as I grew up in the orphanage," Celeste said cheerfully, wiggling her fingers at him.

Charles looked a bit horrified at her statement. "I, uh, pleasure to meet you, my dear."

Rose snorted softly and looked back at the Doctor, "So Doctor. What do you make of them?"

"Good question, Rose," the Doctor said. "My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?"

The male corpse opened his mouth and several voices responded through him, "Failing! Open the rift! We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us! Argh!"

The corpses suddenly expelled the gas, which escaped through a nearby lamp, and the bodies dropped to the floor. Rose gaped at them, pushing Celeste out of the way and clung to the Doctor's arm. Celeste shook her head in amused disbelief at her. _For someone who claims not to be a damsel in distress, you sure act like one_.

* * *

Gwyneth poured everyone some tea while Celeste stood in front of them with her hands on her hips, glaring at Sneed. "Is it normal for you to kidnap young women and shove them into rooms with walking corpses?" she snapped out at him.

The Doctor leaned against the fireplace, looking at her in amusement. He let her rant since she _was_ almost accosted by the dead. He frowned into the fire, still trying to figure that one out.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" Sneed cried out.

Celeste snorted, "You left me to die in that room! Start talking, old man. We don't have all day."

"It's not my fault. It's this house!" Sneed said, resigned. "It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs, er, the dear departed started getting restless."

"Tommyrot," Charles said scornfully.

Sneed shot him a look, "You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps."

Gwyneth set down a cup of tea in front of the Doctor, "Two sugars, sir, just how you like it."

The Doctor looked at her curiously. His eyes locked briefly with Celeste's and he nodded to her. She nodded back and silently followed Gwyneth out of the room. Rose looked between Celeste and the Doctor, irritation on her face at their silent conversation.

* * *

Gwyneth lit one of the gas lamps and Celeste started washing up behind her. Gwyneth turned around in surprise. "Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right."

Celeste merely smiled, "It's no trouble. Sneed works you to death. How much do you get paid?"

"Eight pound a year, miss."

Celeste paused, still surprised by the amount despite knowing that's what she was going to say. "Eight pounds?"

"I know. I would've been happy with six!" Gwyneth said.

Celeste shook her head, barely able to believe the adorable woman in front of her. "So, did you go to school or what?"

"Of course I did. What do you think I am, an urchin?" Gwyneth replied, looking offended at the question. "I went every Sunday, nice and proper."

Celeste smiled apologetically, "I meant no offense. You're lucky. I wish my schooling had only been one day a week. I had to go five days a week. Hated every second of it."

Gwyneth leaned closer to Celeste, whispering softly, "Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own." They both giggled.

"I did plenty of that. I used to run off to a park that was near the school and watch the older boys skipping too," Celeste laughed.

Gwyneth hastily step back, "Well, I don't know much about that, miss."

Celeste raised an eyebrow, her face teasing, "Come on, times haven't changed that much. There must be someone who has sparked your interest."

"I suppose," Gwyneth said hesitantly. "There is one lad. The butcher's boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him."

"I like a nice smile. A nice smile, warm eyes, good heart…" Celeste trailed off, an image of the Doctor popping into her head. She shook her head to clear the image away. "You should offer him a nice cup of tea, next time he shows up. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

"I swear it is the strangest thing, miss. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild thing."

"Perhaps I am. I believe it's a good thing. You should try it, you may be surprised at what you discover about yourself. You need a bit more in your life than old Mister Sneed."

"Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me when I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve."

"I'm sorry, Gwyneth."

"Thank you miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them amongst the clouds. They're waiting for me, just like the dear woman who took you from the orphanage and raised you."

Celeste looked alarmed, "Who told you about my mother? How do you know she's dead?"

"I don't know. Must have been the Doctor," Gwyneth said quickly.

"My mother died a couple of years ago."

"You've been thinking about her a lot lately. More than you have since she died though, haven't you?"

Celeste chewed her lip. She had been dreaming of her mother a lot, probably due to the whole switching universes thing. She eyed Gwyneth, "I suppose so. How do you know all this?"

Gwyneth busied herself, "Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you miss?"

Celeste snorted, "None, actually."

"And you've come such a long way. Farther than anyone has ever gone."

"What makes you say that?"

Gwyneth stared at Celeste, her eyes glazing over, "You're from London. I've seen London in drawings but never like it is through your eyes. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying! And you, you've flown so far. So far that you can scarcely believe it. You've seen impossible things and are impossible yourself. One of the last impossible things. And the darkness, a message, the big bad wolf." Gwyneth came out of her trance. "I'm sorry miss. I'm so sorry."

Celeste felt her heart beating fiercely in her chest. "It's all right," she said slowly, clenching her hands together to stop them from shaking.

Gwyneth shook her head sadly, "I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mum said I had the sight. She told me to hide it."

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" The Doctor asked, causing Celeste to start in surprise. Gwyneth nodded.

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head."

"You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key."

Gwyneth sighed, "I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts."

The Doctor tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Well, that should help. You can show us what to do." Celeste felt her heart drop to her stomach as she realized what the Doctor was thinking.

"What to do where, sir?"

The Doctor rubbed his hands together eagerly, "We're going to have a séance!"

* * *

Everyone had gathered at a large table and were waiting patiently for the Doctor to start.

"This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of MIsts, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands," Gwyneth said softly. She held out her hand to Celeste who took it reluctantly. Her other hand was grabbed by Rose who had placed herself very close to the Doctor. Everyone except Charles had grabbed the hand of the person next to them.

"I can't take part in this," Charles muttered angrily.

"Humbug! Come, open your mind!" The Doctor said firmly.

Charles continued on, "This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing."

"Now, don't antagonize her. I love a happy medium," the Doctor said cheerfully.

Rose squeezed his hand, "I can't believe you just said that." The Doctor threw her an amused look. He glanced over to Charles. "Come on, we might need you." With a huff, Charles sat down between Rose and Celeste, grabbing their hands reluctantly. The Doctor grinned and nodded to Gwyneth.

Gwyneth closed her eyes and spoke to the spirits. "Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden." Whispers came from the corners of the room. Rose looked around fearfully. "Can you hear that?"

Charles scoffed but shifted uncomfortably as his eyes darted across the room. "Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly." Celeste squeezed his hand gently and nodded at Gwyneth.

"Look at her," she murmured softly.

"I see them. I feel them," Gwyneth gasped. Gas tendrils floated above their heads. The whispering increased. Rose looked up at the gas fearfully, clutching the Doctor's hand. "What's it saying?"

"They can't get through the rift. Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through," the Doctor said in an attempt to calm Gwyneth.

"I can't!" Gwyneth cried out fearfully. She shook her head as tears dripped from the corners of her eyes. Celeste squeezed Gwyneth's hand, speaking to her softly, "It's ok, Gwyneth. I promise you'll be all right. You can trust the Doctor."

"You can do this, Gwyneth. I have faith in you. Make the link," the Doctor said firmly. He glanced at Celeste, shooting her a quick look of thanks. Celeste smiled stiffly.

"Yes." Gwyneth seemed to let go of her reservations and blue shadows of people showed up behind her. Sneed gaped in horror, "Great god! Spirits from the other side!"

"The other side of the universe," the Doctor corrected.

The figures spoke through Gwyneth, "Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."

"What do you want us to do?"

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge."

"What for?"

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction."

"Why, what happened?"

"Once we had physical form but then the war came."

The Doctor's grew grim. Celeste lowered her eyes to the table, torn between wanting to scream at the Gelth and wanting to cry. Now that she was here, experiencing this, she realized how real it was and how it wasn't one of her fantasies where she imagined she was with the Doctor. The woman next to her, this sweet, unassuming woman was going to die. Unless… She could stop it. She pressed her lips together, thinking furiously. She had promised herself that she wouldn't try to stop people from dying; that she would only be there to support the Doctor and Rose. She looked over at Gwyneth who was still speaking for the Gelth to the Doctor.

If she tried to save Gwyneth, it would mean confronting the Doctor with her concerns. But she couldn't very well come out and say, 'the Gelth are using your experience from the Time War to guilt you into opening the rift so they can take over the Earth.' No, definitely not that. Perhaps she could give him a logical set of arguments so he would get the message. She tuned back into the conversation going on around her just as the Gelth left Gwyneth. She immediately leaned over her in concern. "Gwyneth? Are you okay?"

Charles started muttering to himself about everything being true as Celeste helped Gwyneth to the lounge. She pat her hand, "It's all right. You just sleep."

"But my angels, miss. They came, didn't they? They need me," Gwyneth mumbled.

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance for survival," the Doctor said.

Celeste took a deep breath. Now or never.

"I don't think we should help them. Something about this doesn't feel right," she said slowly. Rose stepped around a chair and looked at Celeste curiously.

"What do you mean? You think we should leave them to die because of a feeling?" Rose asked.

Celeste opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Sneed, "Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?"

"Aliens."

"Like, foreigners, you mean?"

The Doctor snorted, "Pretty foreign, yes. From up there." He pointed towards the ceiling.

"Brecon?" Sneed asked.

The Doctor looked at him in, his eyelid twitching, "Close. ANd they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl," Charles said slowly.

"I'll reiterate my previous statement. We shouldn't do this. It's not safe for Gwyneth," Celeste said more firmly this time.

"But she can help. Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through," The Doctor replied, unswayed by Celeste's plea. Rose chose that moment to speak up.

"The Doctor's right. The Gelth need our help. If Gwyneth can save them, then we have to try."

The Doctor beamed at Rose who blushed and smiled in return. Celeste grit her teeth in frustration. Why couldn't the Rose in this universe be exactly the same as the Rose in the show?! If she was then maybe the Doctor would listen to reason and would get the damn message through his stupid, amazing brain.

"Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers," Charles breathed out, his eyes dancing in excitement.

The Doctor nodded, "Good system. Might work."

"You can't just let them have a bunch of dead people. Think of their loved ones! How would they feel if they saw grandma up and walking?" Celeste bit out.

"Why not? It's like recycling. We move them someplace far away from Cardiff and their families will never know," the Doctor said nonchalantly.

"Doctor, you can't," Celeste said, jumping up from where she had been kneeling next to Gwyneth. She stormed up to the Doctor and glared up at him. He glared back down at her, his jaw clenched.

"Celeste, I can."

"It's just wrong. Those bodies were once living people. We should respect them even in death. Not to mention the risk to Gwyneth!"

"Do you carry a donor card?"

Celeste threw her hands up in aggravation, "That's completely different! I've volunteered for that…"

"It's different, yeah. A different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying," The Doctor said, fire in his eyes.

"You can't use her, Doctor. Please," Celeste pleaded.

"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth said from the lounge. Celeste turned to her and smiled at her sadly.

"You don't understand, Gwyneth."

"You would say that, miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid."

Celeste shook her head, "I don't think you're stupid at all. I think you're the bravest person I've ever met. But I know in my heart that you shouldn't do this."

"Things may be different where you come from but what I know in my heart is that I must help the angels. Doctor, what do I have to do?"

"You don't have to do anything," the Doctor said.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me."

"We need to find the rift. THis house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? THe place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"

Sneed thought for a moment. "Well, that would be the morgue."

Rose wrinkled her nose, "No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?"

They all filed out following Sneed, the Doctor and Celeste pausing a moment to stare at one another. After a few moments, Celeste tore her gaze away and hurried out the door. The Doctor stared at where she had disappeared before following.

* * *

They made their way slowly into the basement. The ambience fit the somber mood of the occupants. "Urgh. Talk about Bleak House," the Doctor murmured. Rose, who had been frowning thoughtfully for several minutes spoke up suddenly.

"The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed. I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869."

The Doctor continued walking around. "Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that," he snapped his fingers. "Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing."

Celeste stared at the floor, her anger slowly rising. She had never been someone who angered easily. In fact, she was always the one to diffuse escalated situations back home. Everything here seemed to be pushing every button that she had. Her fear of the Gelth, her disappointment in the Doctor, the silly unspoken rivalry with Rose. She didn't even have romantic feelings for the Doctor for heaven's sake! She jerked her head up when the Gelth appeared.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him," the Gelth cried out joyfully.

"Promise you won't hurt her," Rose said hesitantly.

"Hurry! Please! So little time. Pity the Gelth," the Gelth replied.

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" the Doctor said firmly.

"My angels. I can help them live," Gwyneth whispered in awe.

"Okay, where's the weak point?" the Doctor asked. The Gelth floated towards the arch.

"Here, beneath the arch!" Gwyneth walked over to the arch and stood beneath it.

"You don't have to do this!" Celeste cried out, tears in her eyes.

"My angels," Gwyneth whispered adoringly.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

"Yes, I can see you. I can see you. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing."

"Come to me. Come to this world, poor lost souls!"

"It is begun! The bridge is made!" Gwyneth opened her mouth and blue gas poured out. The Gelth flew around the room. The blue Gelth that had been speaking turned an angry red. Celeste felt tears silently roll down her cheeks.

"The Gelth will come through in force!" the Gelth declared smugly.

"You said that you were few in number," Charles stuttered out.

"A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses!" the red Gelth cried out viciously.

The bodies around the morgue started to stand. Rose gasped and clutched at the Doctor's arm. Sneed waved his arms frantically at Gwyneth.

"Gwyneth, stop this! Listen to your master. This has gone on long enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone. I beg of you!" A corpse shambled closer to Sneed.

"Mister Sneed, get back!" Rose cried out in horror. Sneed turned around too late as the corpse grabbed his neck, snapping it swiftly. Rose put her hand to her mouth, eyes wide. A Gelth flew into Sneed's mouth and his corpse shambled up with the rest.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong," the Doctor muttered, pushing Rose back. Celeste threw him an angry, exasperated look.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us," Sneed said, his voice sounding more like the Gelth's than his own.

"No," Charles said, making his way towards the door slowly.

"We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead," the Gelth intoned.

"Gwyneth, stop them! Send them back now!" the Doctor shouted, still moving Rose back. He looked back at Celeste who was already backed against the gate.

"Three more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels for the Gelth." The corpses now possessed by the Gelth shuffled forward. The Doctor and Rose backed up until they were flush against the gate along with Celeste.

"Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm so…" Charles stopped, looking at them apologetically, before dashing out the door.

The Doctor opens the gate and shoves Celeste and Rose inside, closing it swiftly.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth!"

The Doctor glared at them, fire in his eyes. "I trust you! I pitied you!"

"We don't want your pity. We want this world and all it's flesh."

"Not while I'm alive!" the Doctor shouted.

"Then live no more!" The Gelth possessed bodies started beating at the gate.

Rose hid her face behind the Doctor's shoulder, her voice muffled when she spoke, "But I can't die. Tell me I can't die. Tell me I can't, Doctor. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?"

The Doctor looked over at Celeste who was staring at him grimly. He reached out and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. His eyes told her how sorry he was. Celeste nodded at him in understanding. He glanced at Rose, "I'm sorry." Rose sobbed into his shoulder having missed the interaction between the Doctor and Celeste.

"But it's 1869! How can I die now?" Rose sobbed.

"Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth. It's my fault. I brought you both here."

"It's not your fault. I wanted to come."

The Doctor shrugged Rose off and started to rant, "What about me? I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now I'm going to die in a dungeon in Cardiff."

"At least you won't die alone," Celeste said softly. The Doctor halted and turned towards Celeste. Their eyes locked for a few heartbeats, unspoken words flying between them. Rose sniffed pathetically.

"It's not just dying, Celeste. We'll become one of them," she muttered. Celeste suddenly smiled, eyes twinkling.

"How about we go down fighting?"

The fierce grin grew on the Doctor's face, "Yes!"

Rose nodded, her face growing determined through the tears. "Together."

They all grasped hands and faced the Gelth.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad I met you two. You've both been some of the best friends I've ever had," Celeste said softly. Her eyes searched for Charles, praying that he would be showing up soon.

"Me too," Rose said, squeezing Celeste's hand, momentarily forgetting her jealously. The Doctor nodded in silent agreement.

Charles ran in at that moment, much to Celeste's relief. He immediately started shutting off the gas lamps and turning them back on. "Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room! All of it! Now!"

Celeste whipped around, immediately turning off the gas lamp to smother the flame and turned it back on to let the gas escape.

"What're you doing?" the Doctor asked.

"Turn it all on. Flood the place!" Charles shouted, coughing as the gas started to fill the room.

"Brilliant. Gas!"

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose said scornfully.

"If we fill the room with gas the Gelth will leave the bodies," Celeste said swiftly. She tore off a piece of her gown and held it over her nose.

"Like a poison from a wound," the Doctor laughed out. "Brilliant. Utterly brilliant." The Doctor turned and ripped a pipe from the wall, flooding the room with more gas. The Gelph screamed and left the corpses. The Doctor, Celeste and Rose left the alcove and approached Gwyneth.

"Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels!" the Doctor pleaded.

"Liars?" Gwyneth asked.

"Look at me," the Doctor said softly. Gwyneth turned her gaze to the Doctor. "If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!"

Rose coughed, "I can't breathe."

"Charles, get her and Celeste out."

Celeste stared at Gwyneth, not wanting to leave the woman she'd just gotten to know. She knew that she was already dead but that didn't stop the pain in her heart and the anger from before from surfacing again.

"We can't just leave her!" Rose cried out.

"They're too strong," Gwyneth said, voice trembling.

"Remember what world you saw? Celeste's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift."

Gwyneth shook her head, "I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in place, hold them here. Get out." Gwyneth pulled out a box of matches from her apron pocket, pulling one out.

"You can't!" Rose gasped.

"Oh , Gwyneth…" Celeste said sadly.

"Leave this place!"

"Celeste, Rose, get out. Go now. I won't leave her while she's still in danger. Now go!"

Celeste, Rose and Charles ran out of the house. They all stood across the street, gasping for breath. Celeste stared at the building for a moment before turning and walking away.

"Celeste! Where are you going?" Rose called out.

"Back to the TARDIS. I… I can't stay," Celeste said back, not pausing. Rose threw up her hands but didn't chase after her. Celeste continued back to the TARDIS, tears falling down her face.

* * *

Celeste stumbled into her room, gasping and hiccuping. She tugged the dress off and pulled on the jeans and shirt the TARDIS had left on her bed. She pulled the flower pin out of her hair and tugged it all back into a messy ponytail. She scrubbed at her face with the palms of her hands and sat down on the bed with a heavy sigh. "Why did such a nice person have to die?" she whispered. The TARDIS brushed against her mind to comfort her. She smiled, lips trembling. "Thanks, beautiful." She sniffed and rubbed her nose. "Is there… A music room? With a violin?" she asked softly.

The door slid open in response to her question. She got up and drifted out the door, following the lights that the TARDIS turned on to guide her. After a few twists and turns, she pushed open a door and gasped at what she saw. Several instruments littered the room including some she'd never even seen before. A grand piano was on a stage begging to be played. She ignored it for now and approached a glass storage case where several violins were displayed. She opened the case and ran a gentle hand along the neck of one of them. She inspected them all slowly and paused at the last one. She frowned at it, picking it up gingerly.

She turned it over in her hands and then gasped. "My god. This is a Stradivarius. Oh you beautiful thing, you spoil me." The TARDIS hummed gently in response. In a daze, Celeste grabbed a bow and walked to the center of the room. She set the violin against her chin, closed her eyes, and let every emotion she was feeling out.

The music filled the room, rising and falling in a beautiful melody of sorrow and loss. The TARDIS hummed along with the song and Celeste felt the vibrations through her chest. The music shifted and Celeste let her anger and fear pour out. The music clashed and broke against the walls, seething and burning. Celeste clenched her eyes tighter to prevent the tears from falling. After several minutes her rage was spent and the music turned softer and happier. The joy she felt at being here made her fingers fly across the neck of the violin. The room seemed to light up and dance around her as she played.

Emotions spent, she let her arms dropped, the violin resting against her thigh. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She gasped as she spotted the Doctor sitting on a stool, observing her silently. She let her eyes fall to the floor.

"You play beautifully," the Doctor said softly.

"Thank you."

The Doctor stood up from the stool and walked over to her. He gently took the violin from her hand, setting it down on the stand the TARDIS had created. He reached out a hand and nudged under her chin, turning her face towards him.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier. You tried to get through to me and I didn't want to hear it."

Celeste let out a sigh, "I want to be your friend, Doctor. I really do. But friends trust each other. I trust you with my life. If you can't trust me enough to at least consider my thoughts, I'm not sure I can stay here."

The TARDIS rumbled, clearly demonstrating her opinion of Celeste's statement. Celeste smiled and the Doctor chuckled. "Not sure she'd let you leave."

Celeste wandered over to the piano and sat on the bench. The Doctor sat down next to her, resting his hands on the pearly white keys. He began to play the same music that Celeste had played on the violin with the same emotion she had. She silently listened to him play for several minutes. With a final press of the keys, he let the last few notes fade away. He removed his hands and they both sat in silence.

"I lost everything, in the war. I watched as my people screamed and burned. After that, I was alone. I had nothing." The Doctor paused, gathering his thoughts. "When I was running with you and Rose from the mannequins, that was the first time I felt alive again. You were right, before, about the argument I had with Rose. And you were right about the Gelth."

Celeste shrugged, "I didn't want to be right about the Gelth. I really didn't. And Gwyneth…"

"Gwyneth's sacrifice will not go unremembered," the Doctor said firmly. Celeste nodded in agreement. After a few seconds the Doctor started bouncing his knee. She laughed lightly and nudged him with her shoulder.

"So, friends?"

The Doctor jumped up and grinned at her, "Of course! Now that we've got that sorted, I believe Rose wanted to make a quick stop at home. Boring. Domestic." He ran out of the room, pausing at the door to look at her. "You coming?"

Celeste laughed heartily and chased after the crazy man. She decided not to tell him that he would get the date horribly wrong as punishment for not listening to her. Her smile turned devious and the TARDIS hummed in appreciation. She raced down the halls, past her room, not noticing the open door nor the glowing watch on her nightstand.


	6. Aliens in London Pt 1

Disclaimer: I, sadly, own nothing in the Doctor Who universe except Celeste. If only, if only.

AN: Yay! I have more reviews! I'll address a few of them individually since some of you took the time to review.

AxidentlGoddess: I have so many good ideas going for Rose and I haven't decided how I'm going to have her ultimately end up just yet. I think I'll go the direction my fingers take me. :) And I'm also super excited for the watch too. I'm excited to get to 10 but there are a few more events in season one that I have to go over. Eee!

Elysium Phoenix: Yes, poor Celeste. And I'm glad you like how the TARDIS and the Doctor get along with Celeste. The whole concept of the TARDIS being sentient amuses me and I love it when she flexes her abilities.

GentlestCobra2: I'll try to update as much as possible, promise! :)

princepessa123: Thank you! Glad you like it!

: Thanks! My fingers are itching to type so more will come!

Now that's out of the way, on with the really fun parts!

* * *

The TARDIS finished materializing and the three time travelers piled out. Rose looked around the street happily.

"So, how long have I been gone?" She caught sight of Celeste coming out of the TARDIS. "How long have we, been gone?" she hastily corrected.

The Doctor glanced up at the sky, "About, twelve hours."

Celeste let out a single bark of laughter. She slapped a hand over her mouth and saw Rose and the Doctor staring at her. She wiped the smile from her face and looked at them both innocently, lips still twitching, "Sorry. Just happy to be back."

Rose shrugged and turned around. The Doctor stared at Celeste suspiciously. Celeste just blinked at him owlishly. Rose interrupted their staring contest, "Right. I won't be long. I just want to see my mum."

The Doctor turned away from Celeste, "What are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know. I've been to the year five billion and only been gone, what, twelve hours? No, I'll just tell her I spent the night at Shareen's. See you later." She started to jog off. "Oh, and don't you disappear!"

The Doctor bounced on the balls of his feet and Celeste started walking casually in the direction Rose had gone. "Oi! Where you off to?" the Doctor shouted after her.

She threw a grin over her shoulder, "I don't want to miss the fireworks." She wandered off down the street, whistling to herself.

The Doctor frowned after her. He looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging and walking after the two girls. He paused as he caught sight of a poster on a concrete pillar. With a low groan he took off after Rose and Celeste.

* * *

Rose walked back into her flat, "I'm back! I was with Shareen. She was all upset again. Are you in?" Rose walked into the living room, taking off her jacket. "Are you in?" Jackie came out of the kitchen, staring at Rose in shock. Rose smiled at her, "So, what's been going on? How've you been?" Jackie continued to stare at Rose, taking a few hesitant steps towards her. Rose frowned, "What? What's that face for? It's not the first time I've stayed out all night."

Jackie dropped her cup, the sound of it breaking on the floor resonated throughout the flat. "It's you," Jackie whispered.

Rose shook her head, her smile turning uncertain, "Of course it's me."

"Oh, my god. It's you. Oh my god." Jackie flung her arms around Rose. Rose looked at the table and her jaw dropped at seeing pictures of herself on several missing persons posters. The Doctor burst into the room, followed by a mildly amused Celeste.

"It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months. You've been gone a whole year. Sorry," the Doctor said, panting lightly. Celeste shook her head and let out a resigned sigh.

* * *

An hour later, a police officer sat in the Tyler flat looking mildly uncomfortable as Jackie continued the rant she had been on since they had all shown up.

"The hours I've sat here, days and weeks and months, all on my own. I thought you were dead and where were you? Traveling! What the hell does that even mean?! Traveling! That's no sort of answer!" She threw her hands up and looked at the police officer angrily, "You ask her. She won't tell me. That's all she says. Traveling.

"That's what I was doing!" Rose cried, her face grimacing in guilt.

"Honestly, Jackie, it was all just a mistake. She was honestly travelling," Celeste said in an attempt to soothe the irate woman. Jackie rounded in a huff.

"And you! I took you in to my home and treated you like my own daughter! I was worried sick when you dropped off the face of the planet! I thought the both of you were dead!"

Celeste looked down at her lap, shamefaced.

"Mum, really, we were just traveling," Rose said again.

"When your passport's still in the drawer? It's just one lie after another with you two."

"I meant to phone. I really did. I just… I forgot."

"What, for a year?! You forgot for a whole year? And I'm left sitting here, alone. I just don't believe you. Why won't you tell me where you've been?"

Rose opened her mouth again but the Doctor chimed in quickly, "Actually, it's my fault. I sort of, um, employed Rose and Celeste as my companions."

"When you say companion, is this a sexual relationship?" the police officer asked.

Rose bit her lip while the Doctor and Celeste both blurted out a hasty denial.

"No."

"No, not even remotely."

Jackie put her hands on her hips. "Then what is it? Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles and the next thing I know, she vanishes off the face of the Earth! How old are you then? Forty? Forty five? What, did you find the two of them on the internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor?"

Celeste pinched the bridge of her nose. The Doctor looked offended by Jackie's accustations, "I am a Doctor!"

"Prove it. Stitch this, mate!" Jackie slapped the Doctor across the face. Celeste slapped her hand over her mouth to stop the laughter at his expression from pouring out. The Doctor rubbed his cheek and Rose dropped her head in her hands, groaning.

* * *

Jackie and Rose spoke quietly in the kitchen while Celeste and the Doctor sat on the roof of the block. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, smiling slightly at his still pink cheek. The Doctor grumbled softly.

"Domestics. I hate domestics. Never been slapped by a mother before."

"Well, you did get the date horribly wrong," Celeste said cheerfully.

He threw her a dirty look, "Oi! It was an accident!"

She snorted in amusement, nudging him with her shoulder good naturedly. "You're a terrible pilot. Isn't there a manual for the TARDIS?" She bit her lip at the annoyed glare he threw he. He muttered something under his breath. "What was that? I didn't hear you?" she said, laughter bubbling from her lips.

"I threw it into a supernova! Blimey, woman, you are relentless!"

Celeste burst into laughter much to the Doctor's displeasure. He grunted in irritation and turned his head towards the door when Rose came onto the roof. Rose looked at Celeste in confusion as the auburn hair woman was still laughing uncontrollably. The Doctor merely shrugged and gestured at Rose to sit. Celeste calmed herself down and shook her head.

"Supernova… Unbelievable."

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes. Rose sighed heavily, "I can't tell her. I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me. And I missed a year. Was it good?"

"Middling."

"You're so useless," Rose muttered.

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?" the Doctor asked curiously. He held his breath as he waited for her response.

"I don't know. I can't do that to her again, though," Rose said.

"Well, she's not coming with us," the Doctor declared.

Rose shook her head vigorously, "No chance."

"I don't do families," the Doctor said. Celeste snorted in amusement and the Doctor threw her a glare. She winked at him in response.

"She slapped you!" Rose said, humor lacing the statement.

"Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother," the Doctor muttered, rubbing his cheek absentmindedly.

A smile grew on Rose's face, "Your face."

"It hurt!" the Doctor whined pitifully. Celeste, unable to restrain herself, fell over laughing again. Rose joined her and the Doctor glared at the two of them. They calmed down after a few moments.

"When you say nine hundred years…" Rose said hesitantly.

"That's my age."

"You're nine hundred years old," Rose said, her tone flat.

"Yep."

"My mum was right. That is one hell of an age gap. Every conversation with you just goes mental. I can't talk to anyone else about any of it. The stuff I've seen, I can't say a word. Aliens and spaceships and things, and I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows they exist…" Rose trailed off, eyes staring off into the distance.

Celeste glanced at her, "What am I, invisible?"

Rose glanced at her apologetically. She opened her mouth to say something when a spaceship slammed into Big Ben before crashing into the river. Celeste stared at it, completely unsurprised.

"Oh, that's just not fair," Rose muttered.

* * *

Celeste and Jackie sat quietly, watching the news on the crash. She had opted to stay with Jackie when the Doctor wanted to investigate the crash site, Rose tagging along with him. She quietly sipped the tea that Jackie had made for her as she listened to the reporter talk about the crash. Her thoughts drifted to the events that would unfold in the next several hours. The Slitheen and the missile launched to kill them. She sighed softly. She wished, not for the first time she since arrived here, that she could have stayed with her fantasies; at least the fantasies were less, real.

The door to the flat burst open, Rose and the Doctor stormed in. Jackie jumped up and rushed Rose to the couch before going into the kitchen to make some more tea. She came back a few moments later and handed a cup to Rose, ignoring the Doctor. The Doctor scowled and turned his attention back to the television. The new kept describing the events of the crash and showing images of Big Ben and the spaceship. The reporter went on to say that government officials were convening to discuss the situation. A knock at door made Jackie get up, letting in a few neighbors. Rose got up at Jackie's call, leaving Celeste and the Doctor staring at the TV.

Celeste glanced at him, knowing he was itching to jump in the TARDIS and investigate the crash himself. Seeing that Rose and Jackie were distracted, she poked his side, "Go on. I'll distract Rose for a bit, make an excuse."

He looked at her in surprise, "What?"

She smiled, "I can see you're anxious to go investigate this. You can't help it. History is happening right in front of us. Go poke your nose into some trouble. Besides, friends cover for one another, right?"

The Doctor grinned and leaned over to kiss her forehead quickly, "You're brilliant. I think it's time I gave you one of these." He held out a key to the TARDIS. Her eyes widened as she took it slowly. She smiled up at him as he winked and he stood up, glancing at the women in the kitchen. He looked down at Celeste, "I'll be back in a tick."

She shook her head and watched him slip out of the flat. "I know," she said softly. She turned the key over in her hand, eyeing it reverently. She shoved it into her pocket before getting up to join the women in the kitchen, integrating herself into the conversation between the Tylers and their neighbors.

* * *

The Doctor hastily made his way back to the TARDIS, throwing open the door and making his way to the controls. He flipped a few switches but the TARDIS merely shook in response. "Oi! What's wrong this time!? We have places to be!"

The TARDIS shook again before the engines kicked in. The Doctor yelped as the ship shook and spun. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out a hammer and smacked the console. "Stop being stubborn! I'm not leaving them behind!"

The TARDIS smoothed out the flight, still rumbling in discontent. Soft violin music started playing, the same song that Celeste had played in the music room. The Doctor tugged at his jacket, "I knew you liked her more than me. After all this time, loyalty stolen by an auburn haired violinist in a month. Who knew you were so fickle."

The TARDIS jerked suddenly, throwing the Doctor into a wall harshly. He grunted in pain, "All right! All right! One trip, then we'll go back."

The TARDIS rumbled in smug amusement and the Doctor grimaced, "Women…"

* * *

The Doctor and a Doctor Sato quietly inspected the corpse of the pig on the slab.

"I just assumed that's what aliens look like, but you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth," Sato said softly. The Doctor frowned as he looked at the pig.

"More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up it's brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb." He sighed sadly, "It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

"So it's a fake, a pretend, like the mermaid. But the technology augmenting its brain, it's like nothing on Earth. It's alien. Aliens are faking aliens. But why would they do that?" Sato glanced up and noticed the Doctor was gone. She looked around, "Doctor?" She walked out into the corridor and noticed a blue police box. She gasped as whirring sound emanated from it and it disappeared in front of her.

* * *

Jackie raised a glass of wine up, "Here's to the Martians!"

The women in the kitchen, except Rose and Celeste raised their glasses in return, "The Martians!" They all laughed and took a drink. The door to the flat burst open and Mickey stormed in. Rose stood, looking at him apologetically.

"I was going to come and see you…"

One Jackie's friends sniffed, "Someone owes Mickey an apology."

"I'm sorry," Rose said.

The woman scoffed, "Not you."

"Well, it's not my fault. Be fair. What was I supposed to think?" Jackie said hastily.

Celeste sighed and turned to Rose and Mickey, "Perhaps you two should go talk somewhere else?"

Rose nodded and the pair of them left the kitchen. Jackie followed, leaving Celeste alone with the other women. She stared at them nervously and wished she had gone with the Doctor instead.

* * *

"You disappear, who do they turn to? Your boyfriend. Five times I was taken in for questioning. Five times! No evidence. Course, there couldn't be, could there? And then I get her," Mickey gestures to Jackie who looked remorseful. "Your mother, whispering around the estate, pointing the finger. Stuff through my letterbox, and all 'cos of you."

"I-I didn't think I'd be gone so long," Rose said, flinching at the glare he threw her. He continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"And I waited for you, Rose. Twelve months, waiting for you and the Doctor to come back."

"Hold on," Jackie said, looking astounded. "You knew about the Doctor? Why did you tell me?"

"Yeah yeah. Why not, Rose? Huh? How could I tell her where you and Celeste went?

"Tell me now," Jackie demanded firmly.

"I might as well, 'cos you're stuck here. The Doctor's gone. Just now. That box thing just faded away."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, clenching her hands tightly into fists.

"He's left you. Some boyfriend he turned out to be," Mickey sneered. Rose stared at him in disbelief. She dashed out of the room back into the kitchen.

"Celeste! Did you know?" she yelled. Celeste jumped, looking at her in confusion.

"Know what?"

Rose let out a scream in frustration and ran out of the flat. Celeste looked at Mickey.

"Am I missing something?" she asked dryly. Mickey glared at her, a small smirk on his lips.

"The Doctor left you behind." Celeste's eyes widened as she realized where Rose had run off to. Swearing, she ran out the flat after Rose, Mickey and Jackie close behind.

* * *

"He wouldn't just go, he wouldn't do that!" Rose cried.

"Oh, he's dumped you, Rose. Sailed off into space. How does it feel, huh? Now you're left behind with the rest of us Earthlings. Get used to it," Mickey taunted.

Rose stared at where the TARDIS had been. "He would have said…" she whispered brokenly. Celeste pat her shoulder gently.

"What're you two chimps going on about? What's going on? What's this Doctor done now?" Jackie asked.

"Ho, ho, ho. He's vamoosed," Mickey chortled humorlessly.

Rose stamped her foot, "He's not like that! He wouldn't do that…"

Celeste frowned, feeling something warm in her pocket. She gasped softly, digging in her pocket for the TARDIS key and pulled it out. It was glowing softly. Rose gaped at it, her expression turning from sadness to anger.

"What is that? Where did you get it?" She asked.

Celeste looked up at her, "The Doctor gave it to me. It's a key to the TARDIS."

"Why did he give you a key? When did he give you a key? Why don't I have one?" Rose asked swiftly, jealousy burning in her veins.

"He gave it to me earlier, just before he left…" Celeste said, trailing off.

"Before he left? You knew he left and didn't tell me?!" Rose screeched out. Celeste opened her mouth to apologize when the sound of the TARDIS's engines could be heard. Rose gasped and whipped around.

"I told you! Mum! Mum, go inside," Rose cried out. She tried to shove Jackie towards the flats as the TARDIS appeared in front of them. "Mum, don't stand there, just go inside. Just, Mum, go. Oh, blimey."

The TARDIS finished appearing and Celeste blew out a breath in frustration. "Here we go," she muttered.

"Huh?" Mickey said.

"How'd you do that, then?"

Rose rushed up to the TARDIS doors and tried to push them open, only to find them locked. Celeste sighed and looked heavenwards, silently praying for patience, before walking up to the doors herself, unlocking them. Rose glared at her and stormed in.

* * *

"All right, so I went and had a look," the Doctor said hurriedly upon seeing the look on Rose's face. He continued on, hoping to distract her, "But the whole crash landing's a fake! I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben? Come on, so I thought, let's go and have a look…"

"You told Celeste that you were leaving and not me? You gave _her_ a key to the TARDIS but not me?!" Rose bit out. She looked at him expectantly. He sighed and pat at his clothes before finding another key and holding it out to her. She snatched it and shoved it into one of her pockets. "Thank you. Oh, and my mum's here."

"Oh, that's just what I need. Don't you dare make this place domestic," the Doctor muttered.

Celeste wandered in behind Jackie, who was looking at the TARDIS in horrified fascination. She leaned against a railing, not wanting to draw any more of Rose's ire her way. Mickey had stormed up to the Doctor and was glaring at him furiously.

"You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought both of them were dead! I was a murder suspect because of you!"

The Doctor threw up his hands in aggravation, "See what I mean? Domestic." Celeste rolled her eyes at his behavior.

"I bet you don't even remember my name."

"Ricky."

"It's Mickey."

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name!"

"You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?" the Doctor asked incredulously. Celeste snickered and he threw her a wink.

"Quit antagonizing him, Doctor," Celeste said in amusement. The Doctor faked an offended look. At this point, Jackie couldn't handle everything she was seeing and had rushed out of the TARDIS.

"Mum! Don't! Don't go anywhere!" Rose shouted while running after her.

She came back a few minutes later, joining the Doctor and Mickey at the console.

"That was a real spaceship," Rose stated.

"Yep."

"So it's all a pack of lies? What is it, then? Are they invading?"

"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert," Mickey said.

"Good point! So, what're they up to?" the Doctor muttered. Celeste glanced at the door of the TARDIS. She knew that Jackie was calling the number on the TV, notifying the authorities about the Doctor. She let out a sigh and pat the railing subconsciously. The TARDIS hummed and brushed against her mind, soothing her. With a small smile, she made a decision to not go with Rose and the Doctor to Downing Street so she slipped out of the TARDIS swiftly.

* * *

Celeste climbed the stairs to the Tyler flat and ran into Jackie, who was rushing down frantically.

"Oof! Oh, Jackie, I'm sorry," Celeste frowned at Jackie who had a panicked look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Jackie turned her gaze out the window and gasped. Celeste turned and both eyebrows raised at the number police with assault rifles that were approaching the TARDIS. Jackie continued her frantic downward descent and Celeste let out a frustrated noise before following her swiftly.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose exited the TARDIS, immediately lit up by a spotlight from a helicopter.

"Do not move! Step away from the box and raise your hands above your heads!" the police shouted.

Mickey snuck out of the TARDIS and hid behind some bins. Jackie had made it down to ground level and rushed towards Rose.

"Rose!" she yelled, soldiers grabbing her roughly. Celeste had caught up to her and was also grabbed by a few soldiers. She looked up over the crowd and locked eyes with the Doctor. He looked at her in concern for a moment but she shook her head, indicating she was fine. He nodded in response before turning his attention back to the soldiers surrounding them.

"Rose!" Jackie called out again, struggling against the soldier holding her.

"Take me to your leader!" the Doctor said cheerfully. Rose groaned next to him and looked at him incredulously. They were both grabbed roughly and shoved into the back of a car. Jackie burst into tears and Celeste slumped in response. It was going to be a long afternoon.


	7. Aliens in London Pt 2

I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe, just Celeste and anyone else I create during the story.

AN: I'm sorry that my chapter lengths are so sporadic. I don't always find a good end point so I just keep going. I'll try a bit harder to make things more consistent going forward but no promises! Also, I hope you guys liked the little interlude between the Doctor and the TARDIS in the last chapter. I always find it funny when the TARDIS acts out against him so I took great pleasure in writing that scene. A friend of mine that is reading this story keeps demanding MOAR so I'm trying to deliver. Also, I've started taking liberties with the episodes by adding a few twists.

One other thing I feel the need to point out is that I've been watching Criminal Minds while writing this sooo don't be surprised if something super rage filled and crazy happens. It's the show subtly influencing me! Meep.

Please read and review at your leisure! :D

* * *

Rose sat next to the Doctor, fidgeting in the back seat while the Doctor cheerfully bounced his knees.

"This is a bit posh. If I knew it was going to be like this, being arrested, I would have done it years ago. So glad I met you, never would have happened otherwise," Rose said coyly.

"We're not being arrested. We're being escorted," the Doctor replied, tactfully ignoring the look she was giving him. She frowned.

"Where to?"

"Where'd you think? Downing Street," he replied offhand.

"You're kidding," she gaped at him.

"Nope!"

"10 Downing Street?"

"That's the one!"

"Oh my god. I'm going to 10 Downing Steet! How come?"

"I hate to say it, but Mickey was right. Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, er, noticed," he looked a bit sheepish.

"Now they need you?"

"Like it said on the news. They're gathering experts in alien knowledge. And who's the biggest expert of the lot?"

"Patrick Moore?"

"Apart from him," he said dryly.

"Oh, don't you just love all this," she said in amused disbelief.

"I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table. Who's the Prime Minister now?"

"How should I know? I missed a year!" The Doctor snorted and muttered under his breath.

* * *

Celeste sat next to Jackie, holding her hand as the police interviewed them. She had to force her eyes away from Strickland or she had a feeling she'd reach over and strangle him. The stupid Slitheen was practically sharpening his claws in front of them in his eagerness and it made her sick. Her heart was racing in her chest and she tensed as Jackie spoke.

"So, she's all right then? She's not in any trouble?" Jackie asked, her voice trembling.

"Well, all I can say is, your daughter and her companion might be in a position to help the country. We'll need to know how she made contact with this man, if he is a man," Strickland said, sitting down in the chair, his stomach making several unpleasant noises. He gestured the other two officers towards the door.

"Oof. Right, off you go then. I need to talk with Mrs. Tyler and Miss Celeste on my own, thank you."

The other officers shrugged and left the flat.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose entered a large room that was filled with several people milling about. A harried man was rushing about the room, handing out ID cards to certain people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you, ID cards are to be worn at all times," the man said, handing one to the Doctor as well.

"Here's your ID card. I'm sorry, your companion doesn't have clearance."

The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand, and she flushed slightly at the contact, "I don't go anywhere without her."

"You're the code nine, not her. I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? She'll have to stay outside," the man replied quickly.

"She's staying with me," the Doctor said firmly.

"Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let her in and that's a fact," the man said.

Rose squeezed the Doctor's hand and he turned to look at her, "It's all right. You go."

Another woman approached the three of them cautiously, "Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?"

"Sure," the Doctor replied absentmindedly.

"Not now! We're busy. Can't you go home?" the other man said harshly to the woman. She looked scared but determined.

"I just need a word in private," she said hesitantly.

"I suppose so," the Doctor replied, looking at Rose. "Don't get in any trouble." Rose gave him a look and he smiled, leaving the room.

The man looked in irritation at the new woman, "You haven't got clearance. Now leave it." He turned to Rose, "I'm going to have to leave you with security."

The woman waved her hand, "It's all right. I'll look after her. Let me be of some use." The man nodded hesitantly and left them. She leaned over to whisper to Rose, "Walk with me. Just keep walking." They left the room and started to walk down a hall, Rose looking at the woman curiously. "That's right. Don't look round. Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North." Harriet escorted Rose into another room and looked at her. "This friend of yours, he's an expert, is that right? He knows about aliens?"

"Why do you want to know?" Rose asked slowly. Harriet burst into tears as Rose looked on in horror. After several minutes of sobbing and awkward pats, Harriet was able to hiccup out what she had seen.

"They turned the body into a suit! A disguise for the thing inside!"

"It's all right. I believe you. It's, it's alien. They must have some serious technology behind this. If we could find it, we could use it." Rose got up and started searching the room. She reached a cupboard and opened it, causing a man's body to fall out. Rose gaped at it in horror.

"Oh, my god! Is that…"

The man handing out IDs from before rushed into the room. "Harriet, for god's sake! This has gone beyond a joke. You cannot just wander. Oh, my god. That's the Prime Minister!" The three of them crowded around the body, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

* * *

Jackie walked around the kitchen, making herself a cup of tea. Celeste sat, rigid, in the living room in front of Strickland who was leering at her. He licked his top lip and he stood up. Celeste swallowed and slowly stood up as well, taking a few steps back towards the kitchen where Jackie was talking about the Doctor and the TARDIS.

"It was bigger on the inside. I don't know. What do I know about spaceships?"

Strickland smirked at Celeste, whose breathing had increased as adrenaline started coursing through her veins. "That's what worries me. You see, this man is classified as trouble. Which means that anyone associated with him is trouble. And that's my job." He pulled off his cap and started to unzip his forehead, blue light filling the flat. "Eliminating trouble."

Jackie, noticing the light came around the corner and stood next to Celeste just as the Slitheen was tossing aside the skin of the police commissioner. Jackie gaped, her mouth opening and shutting with no sound coming out.

* * *

"Oh! Has someone been naughty?" said a voice behind Rose, Harriet and the man. The three of them turned around and watched as a heavyset woman walked into the room, closing the door behind her. The man started talking out of nervousness and fear, looking between the corpse and the woman.

"That's impossible. He left this afternoon. The Prime Minister left Downing Street. He was driven away!"

The woman looked smug, "And who told you that, hmmm? Me." She reached up to her hairline and pulled back the zipper, blue light flooding the room. They all watched in horror as the alien shed the skin and stood tall in front of them.

* * *

The Doctor stood in the middle of the conference room, thinking out loud, "This is all about us. Alien experts. The only people with knowledge how to fight them gathered in one room."

A fart is heard from the front of the room and the Doctor frowned at the large man disapprovingly.

"Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?"

"Would you rather silent but deadly?" The General took off his hat and unzipped his forehead, blue light filling the room. The alien tossed aside the skin, flexing his claws as he did so.

"We are the Slitheen," the revealed alien said. The fat man at the lectern started laughing.

"Thank you all for wearing your ID cards. They'll help to identify the bodies," he said, holding up a remote. He pressed the button and electric shocks coursed through everyone in the room, including the Doctor.

* * *

The female Slitheen grabbed the man and pushed him up the wall. She hissed in amusement and killed him swiftly. She turned and stared at Rose and Harriet but was shocked by electricity that suddenly came from her collar. Rose and Harriet bolted from the room as the Slitheen writhed in agony.

* * *

Celeste grabbed Jackie's hand and stepped in front of her, glaring at the Slitheen in front of them. He laughed and took a step towards them but stopped when he was electrocuted from his collar. Celeste gripped Jackie's hand tighter and glanced at the door to the flat, mentally yelling at Mickey to hurry the hell up. Jackie screamed just as Mickey burst into the flat.

"Jackie! Celeste!" He shouted, grabbing a chair and hitting the Slitheen. He grabbed Celeste's hand and yanked her towards the door, pausing only to take a picture of the Slitheen with his phone. The three of them ran out of the flat without looking back again.

* * *

Harriet and Rose ran down the corridor. Harriet stopped suddenly, gasping for breath. "No, wait. They're still in there. The emergency protocols. We need them!" Rose groaned as Harriet took off down the hall. The Slitheen started running after them through several rooms, smashing through doors as she chased them.

The Doctor stood in a lift, bouncing lightly in time with the elevator music. The lift stopped at the first floor and opened, revealing the Slitheen that was chasing Rose and Harriet. The Doctor waved at the Slitheen cheerfully, "hello!"

The Slitheen started in surprise and turned towards the Doctor, taking a few lumbering steps in his direction. Rose and Harriet slipped past the Slitheen under the Doctor's watchful gaze. Once they were gone, the Doctor waved at the Slitheen again, closing the doors swiftly. He took a deep breath, centering his thoughts. The music started playing again and he started bouncing to the beat again.

Rose and Harriet hurried into a sitting room and looked around the room."Hide!" Rose whispered, as she dove towards a cabinet. Harriet hid behind a screen, covering her mouth with her hand. The female Slitheen entered the room, chuckling darkly.

"Oh, such fun. Little human children, where are you? Sweet little humeykins, come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big green lips!"

Rose pressed her lips together and dove from the cabinet to hide being a curtain. Two more Slitheen enter the room.

"My brothers," the female Slitheen said happily.

"Happy hunting?"

"Oh, it's wonderful. The more you prolong it, the more they stink," she snickers.

"Sweat and fear," the Slitheen pretending to be General Asquith said with glee.

"I can smell an old girl. Stale bird and brittle bones," the third Slitheen said. They walked further into the room.

"And a ripe youngster, all hormones and adrenaline. Fresh enough to bend before she snaps," the female said just before ripping aside the curtain that Rose had been hiding behind. Rose screamed and Harriet burst from her hiding place.

"No! Take me first! Take me!" she cried out.

The Doctor chose that moment to burst into the room and sprayed the Slitheen with a fire extinguisher.

"Out! With me!" he shouted while spraying the Slitheen continuously. Rose yanked the curtain over the female and dashed towards the Doctor in relief.

"Who the hell are you?" the Doctor asked Harriet.

Harriet held up her ID, "Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North."

"Nice to meet you," the Doctor said cheerfully.

"Likewise," Harriet replied. The fire extinguisher ran out of foam and the three of them left the room in a hurry.

"We need to head to the Cabinet Room!" the Doctor said as they ran.

"The Emergency Protocols are in there. They give instructions for aliens," Harriet panted out.

The Doctor looked at her in surprise, "Harriet Jones, I like you."

Harriet shot him a small smile, "And I like you too." Rose grit her teeth as the three continued down the corridor.

"Can we please just get to the Cabinet room?!" Rose demanded. The Doctor threw open a nearby door and ran to a side table, grabbing a decanter while running his sonic screwdriver over it. The Slitheen reached the door and the Doctor held up the decanter threateningly.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off."

The Slitheen stepped back, looking at him suspiciously.

"Right then. Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens," Harriet blurted out. Rose threw her an annoyed look.

"Yes. I got that, thanks," the Doctor said without looking away from the Slitheen.

"Who are you, if not human?" one of the Slitheen asked.

Harriet looked confused, "Who's not human?"

"He's not human," Rose said distractedly.

"He's not human?" Harriet asked in disbelief.

"Can I have a bit of hush?" the Doctor snapped.

"Sorry," Harriet murmured.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked the Slitheen.

"But he's got a Northern accent," Harriet whispered to Rose.

"Lots of planets have a north," Rose whispered back.

"I said hush. Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?"

"Why would we invade this godforsaken rock?" one of the Slitheen said in disgust.

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?"

"Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service."

"So, you're a family," the Doctor said, understanding dawning on his face.

"A family business," one said smugly.

"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that here?"

"Ah, excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?"

"Is that what I said?" the Doctor asked, cocking his head to the side.

"You're making it up!" one of the Slitheen said accusingly.

"Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it." He held the bottle out to Harriet who was clutching a red box.

"You pass it to the left first," she said.

"Sorry," he switched and held the bottle to Rose who took it with wry amusement on her face.

"Thanks."

"Now, we can end this hunt with a slaughter," the Slitheen said in excitement. The three of them took a step forward.

"Don't you think we should run?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson," the Doctor said, pushing a button behind a small panel. Metal shutters crashed shut across the windows and doors. The Doctor stared at them triumphantly.

"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in!"

"And how do we get out?" Rose asked, eyelid twitching.

The Doctor's face dropped, "Ah."

* * *

Celeste, Jackie and Mickey collapsed on various pieces of furniture inside Mickey's apartment. They all caught their breath for a few minutes before Jackie got up in search of something to drink. After the sound of several cabinets opening and closing, Jackie called out from the kitchen.

"Got anything stronger?"

Mickey snorted, "No chance. I've seen you when you've had a few. This ain't time for a conga." Celeste smiled slightly. Jackie came back out from the kitchen, her arms around her stomach.

"We've got to tell someone," she said.

"Who do we trust? For all we know, they've all got big bog monsters inside of them. I mean, this is what he does, Jacks, that Doctor bloke. Everywhere he goes, death and destruction, and he's got Rose in the middle of it," Mickey said bitterly.

"Rose is safe with the Doctor, trust me. Despite what you think you know, the Doctor saves billions of lives on a daily basis. You only see the result of people failing to listen to him or people sacrificing themselves to save others. He's a good man and he'll do everything he can to keep Rose safe and stop these aliens," Celeste replied, her anger at Mickey's statement making her green eyes turn a vivid emerald.

Mickey clenched his jaw, "Regardless, he's the only person who knows how to fight these things."

"I thought I was going to die," Jackie gasped out, tears falling from her eyes. Mickey got up and hugged her awkwardly. Celeste also got up and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Come on, yeah? If anyone's going to cry, it's going to be me. ow, you're safe in my flat, Jacks. No one's going to look for you here, especially since you hate me so much."

"You saved my life. God, that's embarrassing," Jackie laughed through her tears. Celeste smiled and pat Jackie's shoulder before walking into the kitchen.

"You're telling me," Mickey teased.

Jackie frowned suddenly, looking at Mickey fearfully, "He wanted me and Celeste dead. He's still out there, Mickey. That policeman. That thing…" She trailed off and Mickey looked out the window. He grabbed his phone and texted Rose, sending her the picture of the Slitheen. A few minutes later, his phone rang and he answered quickly.

"Rose! Are you okay? No, no, no, no, no. Not just alien, but like, proper alien. All stinking, and wet, and disgusting. And more to the point, it wanted to kill us!" Mickey said, waving his arm as he spoke.

"I could've died!" Jackie yelled out. Celeste came out from the kitchen.

"You on the phone with Rose?" She asked. Mickey nodded. Celeste chewed on her lip and went back into the kitchen. She stood there for a moment, contemplating her next action. She knew that the Slitheen was on his way here and that Mickey would be launching a rocket at the cabinet building soon. She ran a hand down her face in exhaustion. The past few hours had been more than a little trying but she had to focus. She dug around for a large bowl and started pouring anything that had vinegar into it. After she had added everything she could find, she took the bowl to Mickey's room where she found Jackie and Mickey hunched over a computer with Jackie speaking into the phone.

"Since we're asking questions, I've got one. Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I've had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter and a young girl I cared for disappeared from the face of the Earth," Jackie paused. "I'm talking to him. 'Cos I've seen this life of yours Doctor. And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe? Celeste says I can trust you but I'm not so sure. Is my daughter safe? Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that? Well, what's the answer?"

Celeste tugged the phone away from Jackie, "No, Jackie, he can't promise you that. Rose and I both know that travelling with the Doctor means we'll be in danger but we also know that he never wants us to actually _be_ in danger. He constantly does everything he can to ensure that we're not in danger and most of the time, Rose and I ignore his warnings. Yet time and time again, he comes through and saves our stupid ape selves." She paused as Jackie silently cried. She continued on, "At the end of the day, however, what is most important is the majority. If the deaths of a few can save millions, then that is the route the Doctor must go, as painful as it may be for him. And it is painful for him. He mourns the loss of every single person and alien that he was unable to save. I accept every part of him because I'm his friend. I don't hold any of that against him because he's saved so many. How could I be angry with him for making such hard choices?"

Celeste stopped and looked down at the phone in her hand, slowly handing it to Mickey. He took it, his hands shaking. Jackie collapsed on the bed and continued to cry. Celeste walked over and stood behind Mickey as he clicked away on the computer.

"We're in."

* * *

The Doctor stared at the speaker in silence for several moments after hearing Celeste's speech. His hearts were thundering in his ears and his mind was strangely quiet. Rose glared at the speaker on the table and struggled to contain the jealousy she felt as she saw the Doctor's face change as he heard Celeste. She started calling his name in order to get him to focus.

"Doctor!"

The Doctor jerked as he finally registered Rose calling out to him. He cleared his throat.

"Right, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that."

A sound came through the speaker. "What is it?" Mickey asked.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying," the Doctor said swiftly. The pressed his hands to his lips and concentrated for several moments.

"It's some sort of message," he muttered softly.

"What's it say?" Rose asked, moving around the table to stand closer to him.

"Don't know. It's on a loop, keeps repeating," the Doctor said, his eyes narrowing. They could hear Mickey's doorbell ring in the background. "Hush!" the Doctor snapped out.

"That's not me. Go and see who that is," they heard Mickey say.

"No. Jackie, stay there. Mickey, keep the phone next to the speaker. The Doctor needs to figure out the signal," Celeste said, her voice echoing throughout the room. The Doctor frowned and straightened.

A few seconds later, Celeste came back, "The Slitheen is back. He's at the door. I've locked it but it won't take him long to get through."

"Celeste, get out," The Doctor said fiercely.

"Can't, he's rather large and blocking the door. We'll be fine," Celeste replied calmly.

"What! Are you out of your mind?! We need to run!" Jackie cried out.

"Mum! Get out of there!" Rose yelled at the speaker.

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet cried out. "You're supposed to be the expert, Doctor, think of something!"

"I'm trying!" the Doctor snarled. He gripped the table so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Oh god, it's unmasking," Mickey said. "I'll take it on, Jackie, Celeste. You two just run. Don't look back!"

"That's my mother," Rose pleaded.

"RIght, if we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from. Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!" the Doctor demanded.

"They're green," Rose said.

"Yep, narrows it down," the Doctor replied, still staring at the speaker.

"Good sense of smell."

"Narrows it down."

"They can smell adrenaline."

"Narrows it down."

"The pig technology," Harriet chimed in.

"Narrows it down."

"The spaceship in the Thames, you said slipstream engine?"

"Narrows it down."

"It's getting in!" Mickey yelled through the speaker.

"Calm down, we'll be fine," Celeste said again.

"They hunt like it's a ritual!"

"Narrows it down."

"Wait a minute," Harriet said suddenly. Rose and the Doctor turned to her. "Did you notice? When they fart, if you'll pardon the word,it doesn't just smell like a fart, if you'll pardon the word, it's something else. What is it? It's more like, um…"

"Bad breath!" Rose cried out.

"That's it!" Harriet said.

"Calcium decay! Now that narrows it down!" the Doctor cried out.

"We're getting there, Mum!"

They heard a crash from the speaker. "Too late!" Mickey yelled out.

"Calcium phosphate. Organic calcium. Living calcium. Creatures made out of living calcium. What else? What else? Hyphenated surname. Yes! That narrows it down to one planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius!"

"Oh, yeah, great. We could write 'em a letter," Mickey said weakly. Another crash came from the speaker.

"Get into the kitchen!" the Doctor yelled.

"We can't! We're barricaded inside Mickey's bedroom," Jackie sobbed out. "My god it's going to rip us apart!"

The Doctor grit his teeth. "You need acetic acid, vinegar! It'll hurt them!"

"I don't have vinegar in my bedroom!" Mickey yelled out. Another crash came through the speaker along with Jackie screaming.

The Doctor let out a growl of frustration, "Celeste! You have to get out of there!"

"Would everyone just calm down. It's really quite the coincidence that I just happened to have a large bowl of vinegar here," Celeste drawled. A gasp could be heard over the speaker followed by a giant _splat._

The Doctor, Rose and Harriet started at the speaker expectantly.

"Celeste?" the Doctor called out. "Celeste are you okay?"

"If by okay you mean covered in alien goop, then yes, totally fine," Celeste replied cheerfully. The Doctor sighed in relief.

"Mum! You there?" Rose called out.

"Yes, sweetheart. I'm fine," Jackie said shakily. Rose let out a loud sigh and looked at the other two. "Well then."

* * *

Celeste wiped away the Slitheen guts from her shirt absentmindedly. Mickey stood next to her, doing the same.

"How did you know?" he asked suddenly.

"Know what?" Celeste replied softly.

"How did you know that we'd need vinegar."

Celeste paused in her ministrations. She sighed deeply and shot Mickey a thin lipped smile. "Just lucky I guess."

"Yeah, right, luck my ass. Are you alien? Is that how you knew?"

She let out a dry laugh, "No, I'm human. Celeste Smith. That's me. Definitely not an alien."

Mickey stared at her, eyes narrowed. Before he could say anything further, Celeste left the kitchen in search of Jackie who was holding the phone up to the TV.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty five seconds," one of the Slitheen told the media, once again dressed up as a human.

"What?" the Doctor said, confused.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship.I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war."

The Doctor looked outraged, "He's making it up! There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it."

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet asked.

"They did last time," Rose replied dryly.

"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole work panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out," the Doctor said, realization dawning on his face.

"They release the defense codes…" Rose trailed off.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear," the Doctor finished grimly.

"But why!?" Harriet cried out. The Doctor stared at the speaker for a moment before turning back to the door. He opened the metal shutters and glared out at the Slitheen.

"You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked," the Doctor spat out.

"And we can sit through it, safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away," the Slitheen replied smugly.

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?" Harriet asked.

"Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space. An advert," the Doctor said stiffly.

"The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chunks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel," the Slitheen said.

"At the cost of five billion lives."

"Bargain!"

The Doctor stared at the Slitheen as his rage built. "I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you."

"What, you? Trapped in your box?" The Slitheen began to laugh. She laughed for several seconds before truly looking at the Doctor, whose eyes had turned deadly. Her laughter died away, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Yes. Me." The Doctor shut the door and sealed the room once more.

* * *

Jackie stared between the TV and the phone in her hand nervously. "All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do." She held the phone out to Mickey who turned it on speaker so they could all hear what was going on inside the cabinet room.

"Any luck?" Rose asked.

Mickey shook his head, "There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail."

They heard a sigh and Harriet muttering something in the background. "If we could just get out of her…" Rose said loudly.

"There's a way out," the Doctor said abruptly.

"What?" Rose asked. Jackie looked over at Celeste fearfully. Celeste stared at the phone, face impassive and her arms crossed.

"There's always been a way out," the Doctor said.

"Then why don't we use it?" Rose asked.

There was a moment of silence as everyone waited for the Doctor to respond.

"Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe."

Jackie gasped, "Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare!"

Celeste looked at Jackie, "Jackie… Remember what I said earlier?" Jackie glared at Celeste with tears in her eyes.

"Celeste is right. If I don't dare, everyone dies," the Doctor said grimly.

"Do it," Rose said firmly. Jackie gasped and fell to her knees, reaching over to clutch the phone.

"You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?"

"Yeah."

Celeste smiled and reached over to pat Mickey on the shoulder, nodding towards the computer silently. She pried the phone from Jackie's hands and set it down next to the computer. Jackie started crying in earnest.

"Please. Doctor. Please! She's my daughter! She's just a kid!"

"Do you think I don't know that? Celeste already explained what my life is, far more eloquently than I ever could. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will," the Doctor snapped, pain lacing his voice.

"Then what're you waiting for?" Rose asked softly. Jackie continued to cry.

"I could save the world but you'd die."

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine," Harriet said, interrupting the argument.

Celeste rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Everyone needs to stop being so damn dramatic. Mickey, hack into the Royal Navy and find the closest ship with an arsenal. Jackie, quit crying, Rose will be fine, I promise." With that said, she ran out of the room. Mickey glanced at Jackie who was torn between anger and crying again. He turned back to the computer and started typing furiously.

* * *

Celeste ran down the street back towards the Tyler flat. She let out a relieved burst of laughter when she saw the TARDIS sitting exactly where it had last appeared. Grasping the handle, she shoved the key into the lock and dashed inside. She stumbled up to the console and chewed her lip.

"Ok, beautiful. I kinda need your help with something. You need to get into the cabinet room about nowish."

The TARDIS remained irritatingly silent. Celeste grit her teeth and flipped a few switches. "Please? I know they survived in the show but some things have been different here! I need to help!" She pulled another lever and the door slammed shut.

The engines fired and whirred, causing Celeste to gasp and grab the console as she was jerked around. She let out a triumphant laugh, "You're so annoyingly wonderful. You made me worry on purpose!"

The TARDIS hummed at her in amusement before vanishing.

* * *

Jackie and Mickey stared at the screen displaying the HMS Taurean's information.

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands. Fire," the Doctor said calmly. Mickey swallowed thickly and pressed the mouse button down. Jackie buried her head in her hands.

* * *

Harriet wrung her hands, "How solid are these walls?"

The Doctor sighed, "Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big."

Rose stood up, "Right, now I'm making the decision. I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this thing out. Celeste said earthquakes and you know what they say about those. You can survive them by standing under a doorframe." She walked over to a small closet, inspecting it closely. "Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."

Harriet and Rose started moving items out of the closet. The Doctor stared at the speaker, his mind swirling with questions. They had been locked in a bedroom but she had brought vinegar into the room. How did she know? No one could have just guessed that, unless… His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the TARDIS's engines. He jerked his head up and his jaw dropped as the TARDIS appeared in the middle of the room.

Harriet and Rose stared at the blue police box in varying degrees of disbelief.

"How…" Rose started to say but was interrupted when the door was flung open, revealing Celeste.

"Anyone order a taxi in the form of a beautiful, blue police box?" Celeste grinned. The Doctor jumped up, unplugged the phone, and rushed to the door. Rose shoved Harriet forward and into the TARDIS. Rose flicked her gaze to Celeste, smiling in thanks. Celeste nodded and looked at the Doctor as he stood in front of her.

They locked eyes. Celeste felt her good humor drain away as she stared into his eyes; eyes filled with an intense anger directed solely at her. The Doctor swept into the TARDIS and Celeste clutched her chest, her heart twisting in pain. Who knew one look could be so devastating. She silently shut the door and the TARDIS disappeared seconds before the missile hit.

* * *

Harriet stumbled out of the TARDIS which had appeared just outside of the now burning cabinet building. "It's, bigger!" she gasped out before stopping suddenly at the sight of the debris.

A guard stumbled up to Harriet, "Oh, my god! Are you all right?"

Harriet held up her ID, "Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact the UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news!"

The guard saluted her, "Yes, ma'am!" He rushed off down the street, yelling orders to the nearby soldiers.

Harriet sighed and looked back to the TARDIS, where the Doctor and Rose had stepped out.

"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister," Harriet groaned.

"Maybe you should have a go," the Doctor said with a smile.

"Me? Huh. I'm only a back-bencher," Harriet said, embrassed.

"I'd vote for ya," Rose said.

"Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help." Harriet started walking over to the people, waving her arms. "We're safe! The Earth is safe!"

Rose and the Doctor both chuckle. The Doctor suddenly looked very excited, "I thought I knew that name! Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age." With shake of his head, he started back to the TARDIS, Rose in tow.

The door closed and the TARDIS disappeared seconds later.

* * *

The TARDIS reappeared in front of the Tyler flat just as Jackie made it back. Rose burst from the ship and hugged her tightly. They went up to the flat, the Doctor looking on from the door of the TARDIS. He shut the door slowly and turned around to face Celeste who was leaning against one of the walls, scuffing her shoe on the grate.

The Doctor made his way over to her and stood a few feet away, his face passive.

"Look at me," he said emotionlessly.

Celeste pressed her lips together and raised her eyes. If she had been able to take a step back she would have simply from the look in his eyes. She could see why he was called The Oncoming Storm. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry as she waited for him to speak.

"Who are you?"

"You know who I am. I'm Celeste, Celeste Smith. Eighteen year old human girl."

"Do not. Lie. To me. I will throw you into a supernova. How did you know about the vinegar? How did you know that a missile needed to be sent to destroy the Slitheen? How did you know about thought control? Tell me!" the Doctor shouted at her, grabbing her arms roughly.

She winced as his hands bruised her arms. "You're hurting me!"

"I will do much worse if you don't start talking," the Doctor said through clenched teeth.

Celeste closed her eyes as tears formed, causing them to slip down her cheeks. The Doctor felt his hearts clench but he shoved the feeling aside harshly. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again.

"I'm honestly a human girl, from Earth. But I'm not from this Earth. I'm from another universe where none of this is real, none of it exists. The Doctor is a character on a TV show, the TARDIS doesn't exist and neither do aliens. But every event that is happening in this universe has happened in the show, almost exactly."

The Doctor stared at her silently. He released her arms and took a step back. "A show. I'm assuming by your actions that you've seen this, show, then."

Celeste nodded, more tears slipping from her eyes.

"If that's true, then tell me something that is going to happen next."

Celeste wiped her eyes and looked at him, her anger and frustration rising. "I can't tell you anything! If I tell you and you do something to change events, the whole universe could be destroyed. You know how important the little events are, the little people. I won't jeopardize everything just to make you believe me."

The Doctor grit his teeth. "Speak. There are plenty of innocuous pieces of information that can be shared that don't impact time in any dramatic way."

Celeste let out a frustrated sound, "Fine. But you accept any and all consequences. _And_ you have to accept that I probably won't tell you anything in the future. I can't risk it. You have to trust me."

"Trust you? You've been lying from the moment we met. If the information is true, I won't throw you into an alien prison for eternity."

Celeste stared at him silently, her face resolved. After several minutes of staring at each other, the Doctor growled in irritation. "Fine. I accept your conditions. Now talk!"

Celeste's gaze softened and she licked her lips, "Rose is going to offer you some tea and her Mum's cooking soon, when you call her to tell her it'll be a few hours before we can leave. And you're going to give Mickey a CD that will wipe out all mention of you from every database on Earth."

The Doctor stared at her silently for a moment before turning to the console. He pressed a few buttons and fiddled with some settings. He said nothing to Celeste as he worked at the console for several minutes. Suddenly, he grabbed the Trimphone and fiddled with a few other buttons.

"Right, I'll be a couple of hours, then we can go," he said into the phone. He paused to listen to Rose's question then scoffed, "You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone? Like I said, couple of hours. I've just got to send out this dispersal," he turned a few knobs. "There you go. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up." Rose said something else to him and he turned around to stare at Celeste.

"Good. Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer," he said distractedly. Celeste's lips twitched in amusement. He continued to stare at her with burning eyes. He continued his conversation with Rose.

"I don't do that. Tough. I've got better things to do. Not to me it isn't. Well she's not mine!" He threw his hands up in the air and turned around. "As I said, I've got better things to do in the TARDIS. Your choice." He clicked the phone off and leaned over the console. A click came from another section and a disk popped out. He picked it up slowly and turned it over in his hands. He whipped around and shook the disk at Celeste.

"You!" He stormed over to her. Her eyes widened as she eyed him cautiously.

"Yes?" she asked softly.

He let out a breath and tapped her forehead with the disk. "I'm still mad at you for not telling me this from the beginning."

She smacked his hand away, "I know. I'm sorry. I just, had no idea how to tell you. Or how you'd react. I just wanted to reassure Jackie and get you out of that stupid building."

"For that I thank you. Celeste, how did you get here? To this universe?"

"The TARDIS. She was in the middle of street, I almost ran into her with my car.

I got out and walked up to the door, which opened. There was, gold light and then, nothing. I woke up in Henrick's." Celeste shrugged helplessly. "I don't know any more than that."

The Doctor looked around the TARDIS suspiciously, "What did you do, you crazy machine?"

The TARDIS didn't respond. The Doctor snorted, unsurprised. "Fine, be that way." He looked back at Celeste and held up the disk. "Removes all traces, huh?"

She nodded with a smile.

He laughed, "Brilliant! I suppose Mickey the idiot will have some use after all." He looked over Celeste again, "So, where are we headed to next?"

"You'll let me stay? You aren't going to kick me out?" The TARDIS rumbled unhappily at her statement, causing her eyes to sparkle in amusement. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"I can't kick you out, remember? Besides, having a prophet on board may useful. And I'll be more inclined to believe your, instincts, in the future." He walked casually over to the console again to find a case for the disk.

"Wait, you mean you were still going to doubt me and if I hadn't come from another universe with all this knowledge, you would have tossed my opinion out of the TARDIS?!" Celeste said incredulously.

The Doctor threw her a grin over his shoulder and dashed for the door. Celeste let out a short laugh in disbelief, "You're unreal! Get back here!" She chased after him.

The TARDIS, if she had physical form, would have shaken her head disapproval. She slammed the door shut and waited for her time travelers to return.


	8. Dalek

I don't own anything from the Doctor Who Universe, only Celeste.

AN: I have over a thousand views! That's super exciting. I'm super excited. Ahem. Anyway, this chapter is very, Doctor centric. I felt it was time that he had some focus for a change. Shrug. Read and review at your leisure!

* * *

Celeste sat in the music room and tuned one of the violins slowly. They typically didn't need tuning since the TARDIS was brilliant and kept them all perfect but today they had all been slightly sharp, as if the ship knew she had to sort out her thoughts. Setting aside another violin, she stretched her arms over her head and sighed.

Since they had left Earth, they'd gone to a few random planets and space stations, each more ridiculous than the last. The Doctor had been, cordial, to her but not nearly as friendly as he had before. She wasn't surprised by this, largely because she knew that she kind of deserved his distance. It still hurt her heart a little but she knew she'd survive. The Doctor would forgive her, eventually.

She exhaled loudly. The episode with the Dalek had to be coming up soon; she knew she couldn't tell the Doctor about the Dalek but she could at least warn him that something bad was there. The TARDIS shook suddenly. She set aside the violin she'd been tuning and walked out of the music room towards the control room. Hopefully, the Doctor wouldn't take her omission about the Dalek as a serious betrayal.

* * *

Back in the control room, Rose was watching the Doctor frantically mess with the console.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

The Doctor looked over at her briefly before turning back to the console, "The TARDIS has picked up a signal, it's drawing us off course..." The TARDIS shook and the engines shut down. The Doctor glanced at the door and then looked over at Rose. "Shall we take a look outside?"

Rose grinned and opened the door, stepping out. She looked around curiously, the Doctor stepping out behind her. By that time, Celeste had entered the control room. She didn't see the Doctor or Rose anywhere but noticed the door still open. She frowned and made her way over. Through the opening, she saw display cases through and started rushing a bit faster. She was almost to the door when it slammed shut. She ran into the door with a grunt and tugged at it but the door wouldn't give way.

The Doctor looked back at the TARDIS upon hearing the door close and the thump that followed. With a frown, he walked over to the doors and tugged at them. When they didn't open, he took out his sonic screwdriver and used it against the lock to no avail. His frown deepened.

"Doctor? The doors won't open. I'm guessing your screwdriver isn't working," he heard Celeste say from inside.

"She won't open the door," he said softly. "It looks like she doesn't want you on this particular adventure. Know why that may be?"

Celeste was silent for several seconds. "We're in Utah, right?"

"Yes. There was a signal, drew us off course. Is there something here, Celeste?"

He heard her sigh through the door, "You're not going to like what you find. I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I just…" She trailed off. He rested his head on the doors, waiting for her to continue.

"I need you to remember two things. The first is that no matter how bad it looks, everything will be okay, I promise," she said.

"Not exactly inspiring a lot of confidence here, Celeste," he replied dryly. She chuckled softly.

"I know, sorry. But it's important that you remember that."

"What's the second thing?"

There was a long pause. The Doctor tapped his foot impatiently. He was about to ask again when she spoke through the door, "You need to remember that you're a good man. I know you are, you just, forget sometimes."

His entire body froze as her words sunk in. Images of Gallifrey burning flashed through his mind. Fire and screaming and the sound of lasers. He closed his eyes and shoved the memories away. His eyes snapped open and he stepped away from the TARDIS, pocketing his screwdriver.

"Rose and I are going to take a look around. We'll be back soon. You'll be safe inside the TARDIS until we come back," he said briskly.

Celeste said nothing. He turned away from the ship and was about to go back to Rose when she spoke up again.

"Just remember what I said. I'll be waiting."

The Doctor walked back to Rose, who looked up at him and smiled as he approached. "Where's Celeste?" she asked.

"She's stuck in the TARDIS. I told her we were going to take a look around," the Doctor said, inspecting one of the displays. Rose's eyes lit up at the prospect of being alone with the Doctor.

"So, where are we?"

"Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground."

"And, when are we?"

"Two thousand and twelve," the Doctor replied, moving to another display.

"God, that's so close. I should be, twenty six." Rose twisted a piece of her hair around her finger, staring at the Doctor.

The Doctor hummed absentmindedly, his mind only partially on the display. He looked up and noticed a switch on a nearby wall so he flicked it, lighting up the rest of the gallery.

"Blimey. It's a great big museum," Rose said, mouth gaped in awe.

"An alien museum. Someone's got quite the hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship," he said, gesturing to nearby piece of metal.

"That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm! It's been stuffed…" Rose trailed off, her face disgusted.

The Doctor wandered over to another case, "Oh, look at you."

Rose looked up, "What is it?" She wandered to where the Doctor was standing. What looked like a metal head sat displayed in the glass case.

"An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit." The Doctor sighed, "I'm getting old."

Rose nudged him playfully, "Looking pretty good to me."

The Doctor hummed noncommittally and Rose frowned at his lack of a reaction to her statement.

"This is not where the signal is coming from. This is stone dead. The signal is alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help…" He reached out and touched a display. Alarms went off inside the museum. The Doctor let out a low curse as he and Rose tried to get back to the TARDIS, only to be stopped by several armed guards. He and Rose held up their hands slowly.

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A," Rose muttered lowly. The Doctor ignored her and only tore his gaze away from the TARDIS when the guards shoved them towards a lift.

* * *

Celeste backed away from the doors as she heard the alarms in the museum going off. She shook her head in mild exasperation, "Just can't help touching things, can you Doctor?" The TARDIS brushed against her mind, showing that she was amused as well.

Celeste scowled at the ceiling, "Oh so now you decide to respond? You know you can't keep me locked in here whenever you like, right? I do have to leave on occasion."

The TARDIS hummed in disagreement. Celeste crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "You can disagree all you want but I won't just leave him to blunder about by himself all the time. I want and need to help him."

The TARDIS brushed against her mind in resignation. Celeste smiled softly, "I know you're just worried but I'll be fine. It's him you should be worried about. He attracts trouble like flowers attract bees. Bees with lasers and guns."

With a final shake of her head, Celeste walked back to the music room to tune the violins again while she waited for the Doctor to come back.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose were shoved into a room where two men were discussing an alien artifact.

"What does it do?"

"Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel."

The Doctor scoffed lightly, "I really wouldn't hold it like that."

"Shut it," snapped the sharply dressed woman.

"Really, though, that's wrong," the Doctor said.

"Is it dangerous?" the young british man asked.

"No, it just looks silly," the Doctor replied cheerfully. He reached over and held out his hand, causing several soldiers to aim their guns at him tensely. The man holding the device handed it to him, a suspicious look on his face. The Doctor holds it gingerly.

"You just need to be," he ran a gently finger over the device. Musical notes came from the device from his careful strokes. "Delicate." He continued to play several notes.

"It's a musical instrument," the man sitting at the desk stated.

The Doctor looked at the device fondly before handing it over again. "And it's a long way from home."

The man grabs the device roughly and tries to do the same as the Doctor, causing him to wince at the harsh notes that came from the device.

"I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision," the Doctor said softly.

The notes turned softer and closer to what the Doctor had played earlier.

"Very good. Quite the expert," the Doctor said in amusement.

"As are you," the man replied. He tossed the device over his shoulder nonchalantly and the Doctor frowned as it clattered on the floor. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. And who are you"

"Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extraterrestrial artifacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake," the man scoffed.

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah," the Doctor smiled.

"The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice. You're quite the collector yourself, she's rather pretty."

"She's going to smack you if you keep calling her she," Rose snapped out.

The man laughed, "She's English too! Hey, Adam! Got you a girlfriend."

Adam sighed, "This is Mister Henry Van Statten."

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose asked sarcastically.

"Mister Van Statten owns the internet."

"Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet."

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Van Statten said, smirking.

"So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up," the Doctor said scornfully. His eyes narrowed on Van Statten.

"And you claim greater knowledge?"

"I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am," the Doctor stated bluntly.

"And yes, I captured you." Van Statten smiled. "Right next to the cage. What were you doing down there?"

"You tell me."

"The cage contains my one living specimen," Van Statten stated proudly.

"And what's that?"

Van Statten scoffed, "Like you don't know."

The Doctor straightened and frowned at the man, "Show me."

Van Statten only smirked in response and walked around the desk to stare at the Doctor. "You want to see it?"

"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone," Rose muttered, twisting another lock of hair.

The Doctor and Van Statten stared at each other silently for a few moments longer before Van Statten broke away. "Goddard, inform the cage we're heading down." He turned to look back at Adam. "You, English. Look after the girl. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do." He rounded on the Doctor. "And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet."

* * *

The group arrived at the cage where a man was pulling off some protective gear.

"We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside," Van Statten said, typing at a console.

The Doctor frowned, suddenly concerns for the alien's well being, "Inside? Inside what?"

The man in the protective gear beamed at Van Statten, "Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down. The Metaltron is resting." The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the name.

"Metaltron?"

"Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although, I'd much prefer to find out it's real name," Van Statten said, rubbing his hands together.

The man in the gear held out some gloves to the Doctor, "Here, you'd better put these on. The last guy that touched it burst into flames." Van Statten and the man shared an amused look. The Doctor merely stared at him impassively.

"I won't touch it then."

Van Statten gestured grandly to the large door, "Go ahead, Doctor. Impress me."

The Doctor stepped through the door, glancing around the dark room curiously. The door shut behind him and he looked back at it before directing his gaze towards the opposite side of the room where he could see a soft blue glow.

"Look, I'm sorry about this. Mister Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor."

There was a pause and a blinking white light appeared next to the blue. "Doc...Tor?" a voice said weakly.

The Doctor felt every muscle in his body tense as his eyes widened, "Impossible!"

"The Doctor?!" Lights turned on, showing a chained machine in the center. The Doctor felt his blood run cold at the sight of the alien. He ran up to the door and hammered at it furiously.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"Let me out!"

"Exterminate!" the alien cried out, shaking the chains in an attempt to attack the Doctor. "You are an enemy of the Daleks! You must be destroyed!" The laser on the body twitched but nothing happens. The Doctor paused and looked at the Dalek in growing astonishment.

"It's not working," he said in disbelief. He started to laugh, "Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?" He ran up to the Dalek and glared at it, his eyes burning with intense hate and rage.

"Keep back!" the Dalek cried out pitifully.

"What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you? You're nothing. What the hell are you here for?" he spat.

"I am waiting for orders."

"What does that mean?"

"I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders."

"Well you're never going to get any. Not ever," the Doctor sneered.

"I demand orders!"

"They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second."

"You lie!"

"I watched it happen. I _made_ it happen!"

"You, destroyed us?"

"I had no choice."

"And what of the Time Lords?"

The Doctor froze. His smirk fell away, leaving only the devastation at the reality of his people burning. "Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost."

"And the coward survived."

The Doctor whirled around and gave the Dalek a mean smile, "Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left."

"I am alone in the universe," the Dalek said, sounding strangely despondent.

"Yep."

"So are you. We are the same."

"We're not the same! I'm not," the Doctor paused. His face darkened, "No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate." He pulled down a lever on a nearby console and the Dalek screamed as electricity coursed through it.

"Have pity!"

"Why should I? You never did," the Doctor snarled. The door opened and several guards rushed in, grabbing the Doctor. Van Statten turned off the electricity and turned to the Dalek.

"I saved your life! Now talk to me. Goddamn it, talk to me!"

The Doctor struggled against the guards, "You've got to destroy it!" Van Statten ignored him and the Doctor continued to struggle as he was dragged out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

"The metal's just battle armor. The real Dalek creature's inside," the Doctor told Van Statten as they all entered the lift.

"What does it look like?"

"A nightmare. It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered. Every single emotion was removed except hate."

"Genetically engineered. By whom?"

"By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world. You'd like him," the Doctor said dryly. "How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?"

"The records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands. Burnt in its crater for three days before anybody could get near it and all that time it was screaming. It must have gone insane," Goddard said.

"It must have fallen through time. The only survivor," the Doctor muttered.

"You talked about a war?" Goddard asked curiously.

"The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race."

"But you survived, too," Van Statten interjected, an odd gleam in his eye.

The Doctor snorted, "Not by choice."

Van Statten smirked, "This means that the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth. Doctor, there's you. The only one of your kind in existence."

The Doctor looked around at the other occupants in the lift, his jaw tensing as he realized the error he had made.

* * *

The Doctor glared at Van Statten as he tugged at the chains holding him up. Van Statten grinned, "Now smile!" He pushed a button and a laser scan ran over the Doctor, who jerked in pain.

"Two hearts! Binary vascular system. Oh, I am so going to patent this," Van Statten crowed.

The Doctor grit his teeth. "So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it."

"This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk. You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crate, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?"

"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten? A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you," the Doctor bit out.

"In that case, I will be true to myself and continue," Van Statten said mockingly.

"Listen to me!" The Doctor shouted, "That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!"

Van Statten laughed, "Nothing can escape the cage." He pushed a button and the laser hit the Doctor again. He shut it off after the Doctor writhed in pain for a few seconds.

The Doctor panted and tried to get through to Van Statten again. "But it's woken up. It knows I'm here. It's going to get out. Van Statten, I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet!"

Van Statten ignored the warning and turned on the laser again, the Doctor screaming in agony.

* * *

Celeste jerked, pressing a hand to her chest as she was struck by a sharp pain. She frowned and looked up at the ceiling in confusion. She turned her mind back to the Dalek episode and her eyes widened. "He's being tortured right now, isn't he?" she whispered softly.

The TARDIS brushed against her mind, full of sadness and anger.

Celeste sighed, "He'll be fine. They both will. We just have to wait a bit longer. Now stop giving me panic attacks because you're worried." She went back to the violin in her hands.

* * *

The screen in the Doctor's cage showed the Dalek killing the man, Rose and Adam rushing out of the room. The Doctor stared at Van Statten, his eyes intense.

"Release me if you want to live." Van Statten turned his eyes from the screen to the Doctor before gesturing to the guards. The Doctor fell to the ground but quickly stood up and yanked his clothes from the guard, dressing quickly. They all hurried to the office where the situation was on a TV.

"You've got to keep it in that cell," the Doctor commanded.

Rose got closer to the screen, "Doctor, it's all my fault."

The guard stood next to her, "I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that locks' got a billion combinations."

The Doctor scowled, "A Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat."

Not a second later, the door started to open causing the guards to start shooting.

"Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed!" Van Statten shouted.

"Rose, get out of there!"

The occupants of the office watch in a mix of horror and fascination as the Dalek killed a few of the guards and smashed the monitor, absorbing the electricity. Goddard looked around fearfully.

"We're losing power. It's draining the base. Oh, my god. It's draining entire power supplies for the whole of Utah!"

"It's downloading," the Doctor said grimly.

"Downloading what?" Van Statten asked.

"Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down," Goddard said.

The Doctor turned to Van Statten and stared at him, "It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything." (AN: Does anyone else find that to be probably the most ridiculous thing ever? I mean, come on. Then again, I'm writing a fanfic about a time travelling alien.)

"The cameras in the vault have gone down," Goddard stated.

"We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else. You've got to kill it now!" The Doctor shouted.

Goddard held her hand to her ear, "All guards to converge in the Meltatron cage, immediately."

Shots could be heard from the radio followed by screams and the Dalek's weapon firing.

"Tell them to stop shooting at it!" Van Statten said, his neck purple from his growing anger.

Goddard looked at him, horrified. "But it's killing them!"

"They're dispensable. That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on its bodywork, do you hear me? Do you hear me!?"

The shooting slowly died away as everyone was struck down by the Dalek. The people in the office stared at the radio in silence. Goddard hastily pulled up a schematic of the base.

"That's us, right below the surface," she said, gesturing to where the office was. "That's the cage, and that's the Dalek."

The Doctor frowned at the schematics, his mind racing. "This museum of yours. Have you got any alien weapons?"

"Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them," Goddard replied.

"We've got to keep that thing alive. We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there," Van Statten said quickly.

The Doctor glared at him, "Leaving everyone trapped with it. Rose is down there. I won't let that happen. Have you got that?" Van Statten clenched his jaw but shifted his gaze away. "It's got to go through this area. What's that?" The Doctor asked.

Goddard looked over the schematics, "Weapons testing."

"Give guns to the technicians, the lawyers, anyone. Everyone. Only then have you got a chance of killing it."

"I thought you were the great expert, Doctor. If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something," Van Statten burst out.

"What's the nearest town?" the Doctor asked, not looking up from the schematics.

"Salt Lake City."

"Population?"

"One million."

"All dead," the Doctor said bluntly. "If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature. That's all it needs."

"But why would it do that?"

The Doctor looked at Van Statten, "Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose! The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible." He spoke into the radio to the remaining guards, "If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot."

The screens near them turned on, showing the guards shooting at the Dalek and the Dalek merely sitting there.

"It wants us to see," the Doctor said softly. They watched silently as the Dalek killed each guard and they floated in the air as water poured down on it. The Doctor sighed heavily as Goddard pressed her lips together. Van Statten trembled and looked like he was about to be sick.

"Perhaps it's time for a new strategy," Van Statten said, his face pale. "Maybe we should consider abandoning this place."

The Doctor scowled, his thoughts immediately turning to Rose down below and Celeste trapped in the TARDIS. He had to make sure both of them survived or he'd never forgive himself. Celeste would be relatively safe in the TARDIS so long as the Dalek didn't find it. Even then, he had faith that his ship would get her back to her time.

"Except there's no power to the helipad, sir. We can't get out," Goddard said in frustration.

"You said, we could seal the vault," the Doctor said softly.

Van Statten nodded. "It was designed to be a bunker in the event of a nuclear war. Steel bulkheads."

"There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive."

"We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors," the Doctor said.

"We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius!" Goddard exclaimed.

"Good thing you've got me, then," Van Statten said, sitting at the computer. He began to type furiously in order to reroute the necessary power.

"You want to help?" the Doctor asked, eyebrow raised.

"I don't want to die, Doctor. Simple as that And nobody knows this software better than me."

"Sir!" Goddard said, pointing at the screen. The Dalek floated on

"I shall speak only to the Doctor!"

"You're going to get rusty, Dalek," the Doctor said with a sneer.

"I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveller regenerated me."

"What's your next trick? Going to tell me you crave a biscuit?"

"I have been searching for the Daleks."

"Noticed that. And what did you find?"

"I scanned your satellites and radio telescopes."

"Yes, yes, and?"

"Nothing. There are no other Daleks. I will not receive future orders. I shall follow the Primary Order, the Dalek instinct to destroy, to conquer."

"For what?! Don't you see it's all gone? Everything you were, everything you stood for."

There was a long moment of silence. The Dalek and the Doctor stared at each other, both of them living in the past for an eternity. When that eternity ended, they both had come to the same conclusion: even though they were the last, they weren't alone because they, in a strange way, had each other. They both rebelled against this because neither of them could accept a universe in which Dalek and Time Lord could co-exist. The Dalek broke the silence.

"Then what should I do?"

The Doctor swallowed, his throat suddenly dry, "If you want orders, follow this one. Kill yourself."

"The Daleks must survive!" the Dalek screeched.

The rage and pain that he felt bubbled to the surface and exploded from his mouth. "The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct! Rid the universe of your flith! Why don't you just _die!"_

"You would make a good Dalek."

The screen went dark as the Doctor stared at it in horror. He reached up and dialed Rose, his hearts racing as fast as his mind. "Where are you?"

"Level forty nine," Rose gasped out in his ear.

"You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty six," he said hoarsely.

"Can't you stop them closing?"

"I'm the one who's closing them. I can't wait, Rose. And I can't help you." Regret coursed through him. "Now, for god's sake, run." He muted the line and clenched his fists. If she didn't make it…

"Dont it. We've got power to the bulkheads," Van Statten declared.

"We're nearly there. Give us two seconds!" Rose yelled.

"Doctor, I can't sustain the power. The whole system is failing. Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads."

The Doctor hung his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He hit enter on the keyboard and the doors started to close. Suddenly, Celeste's words popped into his head.

"_No matter how bad it looks, everything will be okay. I promise."_

His hearts started to race and hope blossomed inside him. She wouldn't have said that unless she knew, she knew that Rose would live. She wasn't a cruel person in the slightest and she had been right in that he didn't like what he had found down here. Perhaps, for once, the Daleks wouldn't take something from him.

"The vault is sealed," Van Statten announced.

"Rose, where are you? Did you make it?"

"Sorry, I was a bit slow. See you, then, Doctor. It wasn't your fault. Remember that, okay? It wasn't your fault. And do you know what? I wouldn't have missed it for the world." The phone disconnected and the Doctor felt the tiny bit of hope disappear.

"I killed her," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," Van Statten said sincerely.

"She promised, that everything would be okay. But she lied. Why would she lie? She knew what was going to happen and she didn't warn me!"

"Who's she? What are you talking about?" Goddard asked in confusion.

Adam rushed in somber and panting from the run. The Doctor turned to him, his rage at Celeste transferring to a new target. "You were quick on your feet, leaving Rose behind."

"I'm not the one who sealed the vault!" Adam cried out.

The Doctor opened his mouth to yell at him further when the screen turned back on, revealing the Dalek and Rose, alive and well.

"Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies," the Dalek said.

"You're alive!" the Doctor cried out incredulously. He winced as he instantly thought of Celeste. He was going to have to apologize to her when he saw her, even if she didn't know why.

"Can't get rid of me," Rose said, her voice shaking.

"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek said again.

Don't do it!" Rose shouted.

"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?" the Dalek asked. The Doctor frowned. Brilliant green eyes and auburn hair flashed in his mind and he shook his head roughly. He looked over at Van Statten.

"I killed her once. I can't do it again," he said firmly. He pushed a button, opening the bulkhead doors.

"What do we do now, you bleeding heart?! What the hell do we do?" Van Statten shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

"Kill it when it gets here," Adam blurted out.

"All the guns are useless and the alien weapons are in the vault," Goddard pointed out.

Adam smiled, "Only the catalogued ones."

* * *

The Doctor sifted through the random pieces of tech that Adam had in his workshop. None of it was of any use, either being broken or mere pieces of actual weapons. "Broken. Broken. Hairdryer…" He threw aside some of them random pieces in frustration.

"Mister Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff, and when he does he wipes their memory. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day," Adam said, also sorting through odds and ends.

The Doctor snorted in disbelief, "What, you in a fight? I'd like to see that. What're you going to do, throw your A-Levels at 'em?" He picked up another piece of tech and grinned. "Oh, yes. Lock and load." He ran out of the room, Adam right behind him.

* * *

Rose stood in front of the Dalek as it allowed the sunlight to hit the dome of its armor.

"You're out. You made it. Never thought I'd feel the sunlight again," Rose said, shading her eyes to look at the sun.

"How does it feel?" the Dalek asked quietly. Before she could respond, the Dalek opened the middle part of its armor and revealed the creature on the inside. It stretched out a tentacle towards the sunlight just as the Doctor burst into the room, wielding the gun he had found in Adam's workshop.

"Get out of the way. Rose, get out of the way now!"

"No. I won't let you do this, Doctor," Rose stated firmly.

"That thing killed hundreds of people," the Doctor replied, his grip on the gun tightening.

"It's not the one pointing the gun at me," Rose said softly. The Doctor looked down at the gun in his hand and once again, Celeste's voice whispered in his ear as the second part of her message came to mind.

"_You need to remember that you're a good man. I know you are, you just, forget sometimes._"

He slowly lowered the gun. It clattered to the ground and he let out a small sigh; whether it was iin relief or exhaustion, he wasn't entirely sure.

"I couldn't. I wasn't… They're all dead," he said softly. Rose's eyes softened as she walked over to him.

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied, his eyes wet with unshed tears.

"I am the last of the Daleks."

"You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Into what?"

"Something new," he said. "I'm sorry."

"Isn't that better?" Rose asked curiously.

"Not for a Dalek," the Doctor said grimly.

"I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Rose, give me orders. Order me to die."

Rose looked shocked. She looked at the Doctor who didn't remove his eyes from the Dalek to acknowledge her questioning gaze. She slowly looked back, biting her lip, uncertain.

"Do it," she whispered. The Doctor looked over at her, surprised at her quick agreement to order the Dalek to die. His mind drifted to Celeste and couldn't help but believe that she wouldn't have agreed to order the Dalek to die as quickly. Celeste was, different. He wasn't sure entirely how just yet and he honestly hoped he never truly figured her out.

The Dalek shut it's armor and it levitated for a few moments before imploding. The Doctor and Rose stared at where it had been for awhile before quietly leaving.

* * *

The Doctor walked up to the TARDIS and pat it gently. "A little piece of home. Better than nothing."

"Is that the end of it, the Time War?" Rose asked.

"I'm the only one left. I win. How about that?" he said humorlessly.

"The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too."

He shook his head. "I'd know. In here." He tapped his head. "Feels like there's no one."

The door to the TARDIS opened suddenly and Celeste stood there, looking at the two of the expectantly. "You two just going to stand there or are we heading out?" she asked curiously.

Rose scowled slightly, irritated at being interrupted. Adam chose that moment to come around the corner, looking mildly frantic.

"We'd better get out," he panted. "Van Statten's disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed."

"About time," Rose said.

"I'll have to go back home," Adam said dejectedly. Rose rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, tugging him towards the TARDIS. Celeste raised an eyebrow and stood aside, allowing the two of them to pass. Her lips twitched at Adam's stuttered gasp upon entering the ship. She looked back to the Doctor who was staring at her. She cocked her head to the side and opened her mouth to ask him a question, but was stopped when he grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She relaxed, her face turning concerned as it was pressed against his chest. She could hear his hearts hammering loudly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. She pulled back slowly and looked up at him.

"For what?"

"Nothing. It's not important," he said briskly. He walked over to the console and started entering in coordinates. Celeste shut the door and walked over to him, crossing her arms.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course, I'm fine," he said without looking at her.

She shook her head. "I'm going to assume that's Time Lord speak for, I'm not but I will be," she said dryly. He paused for a moment before continuing to tinker with the console. He turned suddenly and opened his mouth to say something but she reached out and pressed a finger to his mouth.

"You don't need to say it. I know what you found down there. Despite what you may think, you're not alone. Rose and I are here and I promise that I won't ever leave you."

He tugged her hand away from his mouth and squeezed it gently. He scowled abruptly, "I suppose we have to take Rose's new boyfriend home."

Celeste laughed, "That would be wise."

"Right," he rubbed his hands together. "Let's get to it then!"

Celeste helped him set the new coordinates and the TARDIS disappeared from the museum.


	9. The Long Game

I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe just Celeste. Blah blah blah.

AN: So just as a forewarning, I'm skipping the episode where Rose goes back to save her father because, I want to get rid of Rose faster. I find her incredibly annoying and want her gone and I can't justify doing that until after Ten shows up. I'll do the chapter with Adam because that chapter will spark some nice irritation between the Doctor and Rose and then we'll move to Jack. Sweet, lovable, Jack. I just want to squish his cute face everytime I see him.

* * *

The TARDIS appeared on an observation deck of a space station; a woman making an announcement about solar flare activity could be heard in the background. Rose, Celeste and the Doctor piled out of the TARDIS and looked around curiously.

The Doctor cleared his throat and looked over at Rose, "Right, so, it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship."

"Space station," Celeste interrupted. The Doctor shot her an annoyed look and she merely smiled at him innocently.

"Don't interrupt, cheeky thing. Space station, yes, it is. And er, go and try that gate over there," he gestured over to a gate.

Rose rolled on the balls of her feet, "Two hundred thousand?"

"Two hundred thousand," the Doctor confirmed firmly, ignoring the amused look on Celeste's face. Rose went over to the TARDIS again to get Adam as Celeste sauntered over to the Doctor. He peered down at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Have something to say?"

"Me? Nah, nothing," she replied cheerfully. The Doctor snorted in disbelief and crossed his arms.

"I find that incredibly hard to believe. I should just let you give the tours from now on, eh?"

She laughed and shook her head, "No, I like it when you say it. I'll be quiet from now on. You're in charge, Mister Time Lord." She smiled up at him.

He blinked at her, unable to speak due to the affect her smile had on his emotions. He mentally shook his head and scolded himself for letting himself get wrapped up in a pair of pretty green eyes. He opened his mouth to snap out a reply when the sound of a body hitting the ground echoed throughout the room. Celeste and the Doctor turned around to find Adam unconscious on the floor.

Celeste slapped her hand over her mouth to prevent her laughter from escaping. Rose looked down at Adam in a combination of exasperation and disgust.

"He's your boyfriend," the Doctor pointed out.

Rose scowled, "Not anymore."

* * *

The four of them wandered deeper into the space station after Adam had recovered from his fainting spell.

"Come on, Adam! Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners." the Doctor stopped his monologue as a man shoved Celeste out of his way roughly.

"Out of the way!"

The Doctor quickly wrapped an arm around Celeste's waist and hauled her to his side. He glared at the man who was rushing away and glanced down at her in concern.

"You all right?"

"Fine, thanks for the save. Being trampled sounds very unappealing." Celeste looked up at him and her eyes widened as realizing how close they were standing. The Doctor hastily let her go and she ducked her head to hide the rising blush.

Rose cleared her throat loudly, glaring at the two of them. She gestured to where a chef was yelling about his food, "Fine cuisine?"

The Doctor glanced at his watch. "My watch must be wrong." He tapped it, trying to ignore the woman next to him. "No, it's fine. It's weird."

Rose snorted, "That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was."

The Doctor looked at her, his face appalled at the notion, "My history's perfect!"

"Well, obviously not," Rose said snidely. Celeste rolled her eyes at Rose's behavior. One minute she's swooning over Adam and the next she's mad at her and the Doctor. _I really wish she'd just pick one and stick with it. Mickey? Adam? Jack? The Doctor? Honestly…_

"They're all human. What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?" Adam asked, spinning in a circle in an attempt to see everything at once.

"Good question!" The Doctor said. He frowned suddenly, looking around himself. "Actually, that is a good question. Adam, me old mate, you must be starving." He clapped Adam on the back and started pushing him towards the food stall.

"No, I'm just a bit time sick," Adam sputtered.

"No, you just need a bit of grub! Oi, mate! How much is a kronkburger?"

"Two credits twenty, sweetheart. Now join the queue!"

The Doctor pat at his pockets, "Money. We need money. Let's use a cashpoint." He briskly walked over to a machine and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. A few seconds later, a plastic card popped out and he handed it to Adam.

"There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets," the Doctor said cheerfully.

"How does it work?" Adam asked, looking at the card curiously.

The Doctor sighed, "Go and find out. Stop nagging me. The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers." He paused, his gaze shifting to Celeste who was glancing around curiously. He shook his head sharply. "Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it. Off you go, then. Your first date!"

Rose glared at him, "You're going to get a smack, you are." She grabbed Adam's hand and dragged him through the crowd. The Doctor spotted Celeste and weaved through the crowd towards her. When he got to her side she smiled up at him.

"Hi. Rose and Adam off somewhere?"

"Yeah, off on a date. Gave them some money. How about you and I do some poking around?"

She looped her arm through his and gestured, "Lead on!"

The Doctor grinned and they made their way through the crowd. Celeste tugged at his arm and he looked down at her before looking at where she was pointing. He raised an eyebrow at her but lead them over to the two women anyway.

"Excuse me, this is going to sound daft, but can you tell me where we are?" the Doctor asked the women.

They both looked at him incredulously. "Floor One Three Nine. Could they write it any bigger?" One of the woman said, gesturing to the large numbers on the wall.

"Floor one three nine of what?" The Doctor pressed.

"Must've been a hell of a party," the woman replied. She eyed Celeste up and down.

"You're on Satellite Five," the other woman said, nudging her friend. "Don't be rude!" She turned back to the Doctor and Celeste, "I'm Suki and this is Cathica."

"Nice to meet you," Celeste said, nodding to them both.

"Yes yes. Now, what's Satellite Five?" the Doctor asked impatiently.

Cathica gaped at him in disbelief. "Come on, how could you get on board without knowing where you are?"

The Doctor waved a hand, "Look at me. I'm stupid." Celeste laughed softly and the Doctor pinched her arm in retaliation. She scowled at him, sticking her tongue out childishly. He bit back a smile and turned his attention back to the two women who were eyeing them in amusement.

"Hold on, wait a minute!" Suki gasped. "Are you a test? Some sort of management test kind of thing?"

The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper, "You've got me. Well done. You're too clever for me." He flashed the paper at them quickly before pocketing it again.

"We were warned about this in basic training. All workers have to be versed in company promotion," Suki said excitedly.

"Right, fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor Five Hundred I'll do anything," Cathica said, wiping at her outfit to smooth any wrinkles.

"What happens on floor five hundred?" Celeste asked.

"The walls are made of gold. And you should know, Miss Management. So, this is what we do," Cathica said as she walked over to a wall monitor. "Latest news, sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago. Two hundred dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane seventy seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Bo has passed along a message that he's pregnant."

Celeste choked back a laugh at the last statement. At the Doctor's look she waved her hand and attempted to wipe the smile off her face. He turned back to Cathica.

"I get it. You broadcast the news."

Cathica scoffed, "We are the news. We're the journalists. We write it, package it, and sell it. Six hundred channels all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going through us."

The Doctor frowned and looked at Celeste. Suddenly, the alarms went off and everyone hastily closed up shop and left. The Doctor grabbed Celeste's hand and called out to Rose and Adam, "Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!"

* * *

The Doctor, Celeste, Adam and Rose stood quietly to the side as Cathica paced in front of seven people.

"Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection." She gestured to the Doctor who waved his hand cheerfully. She turned to the Doctor. "How do you want it, by the book?"

The Doctor nodded, "Right from scratch, thanks." He leaned over and whispered in Celeste's ear.

"I can already tell this is bad. How bad is it going to get?"

Celeste's eyes widened as his breath brushed her cheek. She felt herself flushing and answered him quickly, "Pretty bad."

He pulled back and frowned at Cathica as she sat in the chair. The other seven people in the room held their hands over a palm print scanner on the table in front of them and light filled the room. Cathica clicked open her fingers and a small opening appeared on her forehead. The seven people placed their palms into the scanners simultaneously.

"And three, two, and spike." Cathica said aloud. The light from the room beamed into the portal on her forehead.

"Compressed information, streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer," the Doctor muttered.

Rose scratched the side of her nose, "If it all goes through her, she must be a genius."

"No, she wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head would blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets," the Doctor replied.

"So, what about all these people round the edge?"

"They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power."

Celeste elbowed him sharply. "Careful, your misplaced admiration is showing," she whispered to him. He rubbed his bruised side and threw her an amused look.

Rose looked over at Adam who was staring, wide eyed at Cathica. "You all right?" She asked him softly, resting a gentle hand on his arm.

"I can see her brain," he murmured. His eyes flitted from person to person and back to Cathica.

"Do you want to get out?"

He shook his head, "No. No, this technology, it's amazing."

Celeste grimaced, "This technology is wrong, not amazing." The Doctor nodded in agreement.

Rose looked at the two of them. "Trouble?"

"Oh, yeah," the Doctor said. He shifted closer to Celeste subconsciously, his eyes looking over the rest of the room. The feed to Cathica halted suddenly. Suki shook her hand out as if she'd been burned and Cathica rolled her eyes.

"Come off it, Suki. I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?"

"Sorry. It must've been a glitch," Suki replied softly. A ding came from the nearby speakers and the wall lit up with the word 'promotion.'

"Come on. This is it. Com on. Oh god, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name," Cathica muttered furiously under her breath.

"Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to floor five hundred."

Suki gasped, "I don't believe it. Floor five hundred."

"How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you!" Cathica spat angrily.

"I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes," Suki said, her shock written on her face.

"That's so not fair! I've been applying for floor five hundred for three years!"

"What's floor five hundred?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"The walls are made of gold," he said, his eyes never left Cathica and Suki as they discussed Suki's promotion.

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you," Suki said. She turned to the Doctor and Celeste, smiling at them gratefully. "Floor five hundred, thank you."

The Doctor held out his hands helplessly, "I didn't do anything."

"Well, you're my lucky charm," she said and she walked over and hugged him.

"All right, I'll hug anyone," he said cheerfully. Celeste rolled her eyes but let out a quiet squeak when Suki hugged her as well. She blinked a few times before awkwardly patting the woman on the back. She looked over at Rose and Adam just as Rose was handing the TARDIS key to him. She chewed her lower lip worriedly but decided to let things play out.

"Oh, my god, I've got to go! I can't keep them waiting! I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me! Bye!" Suki waved once more as the lift doors closed.

Cathica snorted, "Good riddance."

"You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs," the Doctor said. He glanced at Celeste out of the corner of his eye who was looking down at the ground, her eyes sad. He turned his attention back to Cathica who was leaving the room. They followed her out and down to the cafeteria.

"We won't see her again. Once you go to floor five hundred you never come back," Cathica said, shrugging indifferently.

"Have you ever been up there?" the Doctor asked.

She looked at him incredulously, "I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to give hundred except for a chosen few." The Doctor hummed and looked over at Celeste again, who stared back at him in resignation. He grinned and practically skipped down the hall, Celeste groaning as she followed and Rose looking confused.

* * *

Cathica tapped her foot impatiently, her arms crossed over her chest. The Doctor was messing with the various equipment in the room. "Look, they only give us twenty minutes of maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?"

"But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?" the Doctor asked as he sat in the broadcasting chair. He tapped the arms with his fingers.

Cathica shrugged. "I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." She paused as realization dawned on her face. "You're not management, are you."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "At last. She's clever."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."

"You don't ever wonder? You don't ever think to ask?" Celeste asked softly.

"Well, why would I?" Cathica said defensively.

"You're a journalist. Why's all the crew human?" the Doctor countered.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Cathica asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"There's no aliens on board. Why?"

"I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything," Cathica replied, shrugging again but she started to look more uneasy with each question asked.

"Then where are they?" Celeste asked.

Cathica shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with the threats."

"What threats?"

"I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all."

The Doctor scowled, "Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice."

Cathica stiffened, "Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."

"Not if they didn't want you to see," Celeste interjected.

"I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology," the Doctor said firmly.

"It's cutting edge!"

"It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago."

"So, what do you think's going on?" Rose asked, wanting to be part of the conversation.

The Doctor started pacing furiously. "It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back." He looked over at Celeste, who nodded discretely. He pressed his lips together as anger coursed through his veins.

"And how would you know?" Cathica asked.

The Doctor snorted, "Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Satellite Give start broadcasting?"

"Ninety one years ago."

* * *

The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on a set of doors. Celeste leaned against the wall next to him, silently watching him work. Rose watched Cathica pace nervously.

"We are so going to get in trouble. You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off," Cathica said rapidly. Her hands twitched nervously.

"Celeste, tell her to button it," the Doctor muttered. Celeste raised an eyebrow at him before turning and looking at Cathica pointedly.

You can't just vandalize the place! Someone's going to notice!" Cathica screeched. The doors popped open and the Doctor let out a triumphant cry. Celeste smiled at his enthusiasm as he started tearing into a batch of wiring.

Cathica threw up her hands. "This has nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work."

The Doctor didn't even turn around from his work. "Go on, then. See you!"

Cathica stomped her foot angrily, "I can't just leave you, can I?"

"If you want to do something to help, see if the heat can be turned down. It's far too hot in here," Celeste said, wiping at her brow to remove the sweat that had accumulated there.

Cathica waved a hand dismissively. "I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine."

"Something to do with the turbine," the Doctor said mockingly.

"Well, I don't know!"

"Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica. Now, Celeste. Celeste is asking the right kind of question."

Celeste lips twitched, "Thanks."

"Why is it so hot?" the Doctor said, pulling at more wires.

"One minute you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating? What is wrong with you two?" Cathica asked.

"Well, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important," the Doctor replied. Celeste nodded sagely in agreement. The Doctor found a small screen and pulled up a schematic of the station.

"Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout."

"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange and you're looking at pipes?" Cathica asked incredulously.

Celeste rolled her eyes and gestured to the schematics. "There's something wrong. What is it?"

Cathica stared at the schematics for a moment. "The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working to channel massive amounts of heat down."

"All the way from the top," the Doctor said, tapping the schematics.

"Floor five hundred," Rose murmured.

"Something up there is generating tons of heat."

Celeste stretched and looked at the Doctor expectantly. "I feel like we're missing the fun. Shall we take a little detour?" The Doctor grinned at her.

"You can't, you need a key," Cathica said, shaking her head.

The Doctor snorted, fiddling with his screwdriver and the monitor again. "Keys are just codes and I've got the codes right here. Here we go. Override two one five point nine."

Cathica's jaw dropped, "How come it's given you the code?"

The Doctor smirked, "Someone up there likes me." He stood up and grabbed Celeste's hand, dragging her into the lift.

"Coming with us?" Celeste asked Cathica and Rose, who were both still standing outside the lift. Rose shifted, glancing back at the doors.

"I think I'm going to check on Adam," she said slowly, her eyes flicking to the Doctor to gauge his reaction to her statement. The Doctor merely shrugged and looked at Cathica. Rose grit her teeth and threw a glare at the two of them before storming out the door.

"No way. Don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me," Cathica said as she shook her head. She followed Rose out the door.

The Doctor, realizing he was still holding Celeste's hand, dropped it quickly. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"That's her gone. Adam's given up. Rose is off finding her new boyfriend. Looks like it's just you and me."

"Looks like it."

"Good."

"Yeah."

He pushed the code into the lift panel and the doors closed on the pair of them looking anywhere but each other.

* * *

The lift doors opened upon reaching floor five hundred. The Doctor and Celeste cautiously exited the lift, looking around curiously.

"The walls are not made of gold," the Doctor murmured. He looked over at her, suddenly struck by where they were and what could happen up here. "You should go back downstairs."

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Celeste said firmly.

He sighed in resignation and they continued down the hall. They pushed open another door and inside they found several people working at computers, including Suki. A man sat in front of several large screens and turned to stare at them as they entered.

"I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you two. You don't exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint," the man muttered to them.

Celeste rushed over to Suki, touching her shoulder gently. Her shoulders slumped as she came to the sad conclusion that Suki was indeed dead. She glared up at the man.

"Editor," she snarled. "Let Suki go. Let her be in peace."

"They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep them going, like puppets. Even in death," the Doctor said, looking at Suki sadly.

"Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back, because apparently, you're no one," the Editor said. He laced his fingers together and raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"

The Doctor tensed and reached a hand towards Celeste, "It doesn't matter, because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on."

Suddenly, Suki's arm reached out and grasped Celeste's arm tightly, causing her to gasp. Two others grabbed the Doctor and he struggled to break free. He looked over at Celeste and their eyes locked for a brief moment.

"Tell me who you are," the Editor demanded.

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I?" the Doctor spat out.

The Editor shrugged and looked at the two of them smugly. "Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise," he drawled casually.

"And who's that?"

"It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live."

A snarl ripped through the air. Celeste froze and felt her blood run cold at the sound. The Doctor looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. The Editor nodded his head vigorously.

"Yes, sorry. It's a place where humans are _allowed_ to live by kind permission of my client."

A light turned on revealing a large creature on the ceiling with a vicious set of teeth. It snapped its teeth at them and Celeste swallowed thickly.

"This is so much worse in person," she whispered to herself.

"You mean, that thing is in charge of Satellite Five?" the Doctor asked incredulously.

The Editor smirked, "That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided. His knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by it's broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe. I call him Max!"

* * *

The Doctor tugged at the manacles that held him but they didn't budge. He grit his teeth and looked over at Celeste, who was hanging silently. His concern for her grew into a burning anger at the Editor and the Jagrafess. His eyes turned to the Editor, who was pacing in front of them.

"Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilize an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote," the Editor said, news streams behind him showing images that were designed to induce fear.

"So all the people on Earth are slaves," Celeste said, frustrated and angered by the entire situation. She tugged at the manacles and she barely held back a groan as she remembered that Rose and the Doctor were shocked by the manacles in the show.

"Well, now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?" the Editor asked curiously.

"Yes," the Doctor replied instantly, his jaw clenched.

"Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?"

"Yes."

The Editor pouted mockingly, "You're no fun."

"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am," the Doctor replied darkly.

The Editor laughed and sauntered over to Celeste. "Oh, he's a tough one, isn't he?" he asked her. She ignored him and he reached out and stroked her cheek, causing her to flinch. The Doctor lunged at him, snarling in anger.

"Keep your hands off her!"

The Editor laughed again, but stepped away from Celeste. "Little protective, isn't he? Can't say I'm surprised, you're a pretty little thing." He walked back over to the Doctor, who was glaring at him with fire in his eyes. "Come on, isn't it a great system we have? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something this big. Someone must have noticed," Celeste said.

"From time to time, someone did, yes. The computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains so I can see the smallest doubt and crush it," the Editor said cheerfully. "Then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual, when of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

The Editor continued to rant, unaware of Cathica behind him. Celeste and the Doctor noticed Cathica and tried to distract the Editor.

"What about you? You're not a Jagrafess," Celeste pointed out.

"Yeah, well, simply being a human doesn't pay very well."

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own."

The Editor snorted, "No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment if the messages I've received are any indication. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to install himself."

"No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?" the Doctor asked nonchalantly.

"Three thousand years."

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five is so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. The Jagrafess stays nice and cool, stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big support system," the Doctor said.

"But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?" the Editor asked. The Doctor and Celeste remained silent and the Editor narrowed his eyes dangerously. He snapped his fingers and energy surged through the manacles.

Celeste's back arched as pain coursed through body. She clenched her jaw to fight back the scream that wanted to escape her throat but couldn't stop the small sob. The Doctor barely registered the pain as he saw Celeste tortured. The Editor snapped again and the torture stopped. Celeste panted as her muscles screamed in pain. She grimaced and tried to smile reassuringly at the Doctor to let him know she was all right.

"Leave her alone! I'm the Doctor, she's Celeste Smith. We're nothing, we're just wandering!"

"Tell me who you are!" the Editor shouted. He raised his hand again threateningly.

"I just said!"

"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly," he stopped when the Jagrafess let out a low growl. His eyes snapped to the Doctor. "Time Lord."

The Doctor jerked his gaze away from Celeste and to the Editor in shock. "What?"

"Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords in his travelling machine. Oh, with his little human girl from so long ago."

"You don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor snarled.

"Time travel," the Editor said smugly.

"Someone's been telling you lies," the Doctor said.

The Editor raised an eyebrow, "Young master Adam Mitchell?" He gestured to a monitor which showed a picture of Adam in the broadcasting chair.

Celeste groaned, "That idiot."

The Doctor looked between the Editor and the screen angrily, "What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything!"

"And through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T-A-R-D-I-S. TARDIS." The Editor looked giddy and he eyed the Doctor as if he was a prized possession.

"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first," the Doctor said fiercely. Celeste felt the TARDIS key warm against her thigh. She knew she hadn't told Adam she had it but she couldn't help the nervousness she felt at it being so close to the Editor's grasp.

"Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key," the Editor crowed. The TARDIS key rose from Adam's pocket and the Doctor swung his gaze to Celeste, who mouthed Rose's name. His mouth twisted in anger.

"Rose and her damn boyfriends," he bit out.

The Editor held out his arms and spun in a circle. "Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing!"

"And no one's going to stop you because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold," the Doctor said, but his eyes shifted to meet Cathica's briefly. She nodded hesitantly and silently left. The Jagrafess snarled above them, teeth gnashing together.

Suddenly, Adams was disconnected from the chair and the TARDIS key fell to the floor. The Editor rushed to the monitor. "What's happening?" He started typing at the computer. "Someone's disengaged the safety. Who's that!?" Another image popped up and showed Cathica in the newsroom.

Celeste smiled, "It's Cathica."

"And she's thinking. She's using what she knows," the Doctor said proudly.

"Terminate her access!" The Editor shouted frantically. The Doctor allowed a grin of satisfaction to grace his face.

"Everything I told her about Satellite Five. The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that. It's getting hot."

The Editor whirled around and pointed a shaking finger at Suki. "I said, terminate! Burn out her mind!" The consoles exploded and the operates fell to the ground. Alarms started in the rest of the Satellite, causing everyone to panic.

Celeste grit her teeth and yanked at the manacles. They fell to the ground and she jumped up, rushing over to the Doctor.

"She's venting the heat up here. The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano," he said softly. "Hey, are you all right?" His eyes searched her face for signs of lingering pain.

Celeste threw him a small smile and reached into his pocket for the sonic screwdriver. "I'm fine, just some burns on my wrists which will heal. Now, I've only seen this used so you'll have to tell me what to do."

The Doctor looked at her in mild amusement, "Something you don't know? Now that's interesting. I'm tempted to keep it to myself."

She looked at him in a mix of annoyance and amusement, "You wish to stay manacled in a room that is about to be flooded with god knows how much heat? I somehow doubt that. Now, what do I do?"

"Flick the switch and press it to the manacle," he said softly. She did as he instructed and the manacles popped open. He took the screwdriver back, shoving it in his pocket. "Oi, mate, want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang. See you in the headlines!"

He grabbed Celeste's hand and they ran out of the room, dodging debris as they rushed to Cathica. The Doctor snapped his fingers and the portal on Cathica's forehead closed.

* * *

The alarms had been turned off and the residents of floor one thirty nine were helping several people who had been injured when they had panicked. Celeste, the Doctor and Cathica stood off to the side as they watched the controlled chaos. Rose was standing next to Adam with her arms crossed as she spoke to him quietly. Adam had his head down, looking properly chastised.

"We're just going to go. I hate tidying up. Too many questions. I think you'll manage," the Doctor said to Cathica.

"You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me," Cathica said.

"Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal," the Doctor said cheerfully.

Cathica nodded towards Adam who was walking towards them behind an angry Rose, "What about your friend?"

The Doctor's face soured, "He's not my friend."

"Now, don't," Rose said harshly. The Doctor glared at her but kept his mouth shut when he was elbowed by Celeste.

"I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key. Look, it's. It all worked out for the best, didn't it?" Adam looked at the Doctor fearfully. "You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge."

The Doctor snorted and shoved him towards the TARDIS. Rose hurried after them, arguing softly with the Doctor. Celeste looked at Cathica and gave her a reassuring smile before entering the TARDIS herself.

* * *

The TARDIS appeared in a house and Adam was shoved out the doors. "It's my house. I'm home! Oh, my god, I'm home!" he turned to look back at the Doctor, Celeste and Rose who had slowly piled out of the TARDIS. "Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock."

The Doctor stared at Adam for a moment. "Is there something else you want to tell me?"

Adam looked around nervously, "No. What do you mean?"

Celeste walked over to the answering machine and picked it up. The Doctor continued to stare at Adam as she handed the machine to him and he turned it over slowly. "The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message could've changed the world." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and held it to the device. It imploded, destroying the messages that Adam had left.

"That's it, then. See you," he turned back towards the TARDIS.

"What do you mean, see you?" Adam asked in confusion.

"As in goodbye," Celeste said bluntly.

"But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head! I've got a chip type two. My head opens!" Adam cried out.

The Doctor turned back, "What, like this?" He snapped his fingers and the portal on Adam's head opened.

Adam glared at him, "Don't!" He snapped his own fingers and the portal closed again.

"Don't do what?" the Doctor asked innocently, snapping his fingers again.

"Stop it!" Adam cried out with a snap of his fingers.

"All right now, Doctor. That's enough, stop it," Rose bit out from the TARDIS door.

Adam looked at her gratefully, "Thank you." She rolled her eyes and stomped into the TARDIS.

Celeste raised an eyebrow at Rose's behavior. She looked over at the Doctor who shrugged.

"The whole of history could have changed because of you," the Doctor snapped at Adam.

Adam paled, "I just wanted to help."

"You were helping yourself," Celeste said, her eyes narrowed.

"And I'm sorry! I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am, but you can't just leave me like this!"

"Yes I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average, unseen. Good luck," the Doctor placed his hand at the small of Celeste's back and gently escorted her back to the TARDIS.

"But I want to come with you!" Adam pleaded.

The Doctor paused. "I only take the best. I've got Celeste."

The TARDIS disappeared just as Adam's mother walked in.

* * *

The Doctor applied a cream to Celeste's wrists and wrapped them in gauze. "The burns should be healed in a day, probably less. Not sure how this particular medicine works on humans."

"Thanks," she said softly.

He put away the supplies and leaned against the counter of the medical room. "You knew what was going to happen up there but you came anyway. Why? Why would you do that?"

Celeste ran a finger over the bandages as she considered her answer. "I guess, I just refuse to live my life in fear. I'd rather face the dangers head on, with you, then hide somewhere. Because I know what will happen, I feel sort of responsible for it, in a way. And I know that sounds ridiculous so don't bother commenting on it."

The Doctor smiled, "Wouldn't dream of it."

Celeste wrinkled her nose, "Somehow I think you'll bring this up in the future in some way."

He let out a low chuckle but sobered quickly. "I don't like you getting hurt. But given how stubborn you are, I know you won't keep yourself out of trouble. Just, promise you'll be careful and won't get in too deep."

She stood up and nodded to him, "I promise." She paused for a moment. "What are you going to do about Rose?"

He let out a frustrated sigh, "I'm not sure. She trusted him with the phone and the TARDIS key. That just..." He trailed off and ran a hand down his face.

She chewed her bottom lip, thinking for a moment. "I think," she said slowly, "that you should just let it go for now. Rose has a good heart and trusts people fairly easily. I'm sure she feels bad enough."

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "You're far kinder than I am," he said abruptly.

Her eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter, "Yes, well, you're old and jaded."

He glared at her playfully, 'Oi, watch it. I'll throw you out the door if you keep that up."

She did laugh then. He smiled and his chest grew warm at seeing her face light up. Her laughter died away and she looked around the medical room. "We're done here, right?"

His eyes searched her face for a few moments before he shoved away from the counter and made for the door, "Right then! To our next adventure?"

They left the medical room and headed towards the control room.


	10. The Empty Child

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Doctor Who universe, only Celeste.

AN: I'm skipping the episode about Rose's father. I'll kinda do a recap at the beginning of this chapter though to show what happened. I decided to do it in a rather fun way that I really liked in my head so I wrote it down! :) Read and review at your leisure!

* * *

The TARDIS silently floated through space as she watched her time travellers. They had gotten back from a rather dramatic adventure in which the Annoying Blonde had saved her father, causing reapers to attempt to fix the timeline by removing people from it.

The TARDIS shook slightly as she recalled her Thief's rage. He'd been so angry with the Annoying Blonde; not even her Favorite Child had soothed him. And when her Favorite Child had been taken by the reapers as she saved a young child, her Thief had known such grief and rage. She shuddered again lightly.

Thankfully, the Annoying Blonde's father was a much better human than she was. His sacrifice had allowed her back into that universe, along with her Thief and Favorite Child. Her Thief had been extremely relieved to see His Future Lady, if the hug he had given her was any indication. The TARDIS hummed happily. She had brought the Favorite Child here to give her Thief the most beautiful message in the universe.

That he was not alone and that he would be loved unconditionally.

She turned her attention to the Annoying Blonde for a moment and found her crying into her phone. If the TARDIS had eyes, she'd have rolled them at the Blonde's dramatics. The Blonde should be grateful that she hadn't been tossed out into a black hole by now. With a mental sigh, she turned her focus to her Favorite Child.

The young woman had curled into bed and was fast asleep. She adjusted the temperature in the room slightly, knowing that the woman liked it just a bit cooler when she slept. The TARDIS had a mischievous thought drift her way and she quickly hid the fob watch that rarely left her Favorite Child's side table. It wasn't time for her Thief to find out who his companion was just yet.

She turned her attention to her Thief and she fondly watched as he tugged at some cables on the control panel. Her fondness swiftly turned to irritation as he hammered at the console. She shook herself, causing him to hit his head. He swore softly and climbed out from underneath the wires.

The TARDIS ignored his questions and lit up a few lights down the hallway she had manifested. Her Thief walked down the hall, peppering her with more questions which she studiously ignored. When he reached the door she wanted, she popped it open slightly, causing him to pause. Hesitantly, he opened the door and revealed his sound asleep companion. He slowly walked to her bedside and looked down at her softly.

At this point, the TARDIS felt like she was a small human child at christmas, about to open her first present. If she had hands, she would have been clapping them excitedly like a complete loon.

He reached out and brushed a curl away from the sleeping woman's forehead. Her Favorite Child murmured softly and turned her face towards him. The TARDIS watched smugly as the young woman couldn't help her subconscious need to be closer to him. Her Thief shook his head roughly and hastily made his way out of the room. The TARDIS shut and locked the door behind him and sent him a wave of smug satisfaction.

He scowled and stormed down the hallway back to the control room.

The TARDIS sighed as he began hammering at the controls again. Despite his actions, she couldn't help the wave of happiness that floated through her. Totally worth it.

* * *

Rose and Celeste rushed into the control room of the TARDIS as the Doctor ran around frantically pushing buttons. The TARDIS shuddered and they were all flung in various directions. Celeste grunted as she hit the wall hard. She reached over to help Rose up who shrugged off her hand roughly. She let out a soft sigh and went over to the Doctor.

"What's the emergency," Rose asked.

The Doctor didn't even glance at her when he answered, "It's mauve."

"Mauve?" Rose asked looking confused.

"It's the universal sign for danger," Celeste said offhand. She went to the central monitor and turned a few of the knobs.

Rose scowled at her, "What happened to red?"

"That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing," the Doctor replied. He frowned as the TARDIS shook again. "It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS. Where it goes, we go."

"And that's safe, is it?" Rose asked fearfully.

"Totally!" the Doctor replied cheerfully.

Celeste snorted and gave him an incredulous look. An instrument on the console gave a sharp bang, sparks flying around them. The Doctor looked at Celeste sheepishly.

"Okay, reasonably. I should have said reasonably there."

"Yeah, you should have. Now focus, it's about to jump time tracks," Celeste said sharply. The Doctor rushed over to another part of the console and pulled a lever.

"Nice catch, okay, this is going to get bumpy," the Doctor said.

"What exactly is this thing?" Rose cried out.

"No idea!"

"Then _why_ are we chasing it?"

"Because it's mauve and dangerous!" Celeste said dryly. The Doctor threw her a grin.

"And about thirty seconds from the center of London," the Doctor finished with a yell of excitement. The TARDIS shook again as they fell through the time stream.

* * *

The TARDIS finally materialized in an alley between a few closely packed buildings. It was pitch black out as all of the street lights were turned off; the street was utterly silent. Rose climbed out of the TARDIS first, followed closely by Celeste and the Doctor.

The Doctor tugged at his jacket, "Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth?"

Celeste chuckled, "Something like four or five days. Or until you decide that you fancy a visit to inevitably find trouble."

"Or when we're out of milk," Rose blurted out. The Doctor wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"Of all the species in all the Universe and it just has to come out of a cow," he muttered. He walked down the alley a bit, Rose hovering beside him. Celeste glanced up at the roof suspiciously. She looked back at the Doctor as he started talking again.

"Must have come down somewhere very close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month."

"A month? We were right behind it," Rose said incredulously.

The Doctor scowled, "It was jumping time tracks all over the place. We're bound to be a little bit out. Do you want to drive?"

Rose ducked her head to hide the look of embarrassment and irritation that appeared due to his comment. "How much is a little?" she asked softly.

"A bit," the Doctor snapped out impatiently.

Rose shifted on her feet and looked around the alley. Celeste had turned her attention back to the roof and was frowning as she tried to get a better look. Rose turned her attention back to the Doctor and attempted to smile at him.

"What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something?"

"Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask," he said, abruptly turning on his heel and walking away. Rose glanced back at Celeste who hadn't heard their conversation and hurried after him.

Celeste shrugged as she didn't see anything on the roof and turned back to the Doctor and Rose, only to find them gone. With an alarmed look, she jogged down the alley and glanced around for any sign of them. She couldn't quite remember which direction the Doctor went at this part of the episode; she'd been too focused on seeing if Jamie would show up. She reluctantly chose a direction she thought was correct and was mildly relieved to see a door marked 'Deliveries only."

She walked up to the door but froze when she heard a voice from above her.

"Mummy? Mummy?"

She pressed her lips together and slowly turned her gaze upwards. She spotted the small boy in a gas mask and her heart dropped. "Oh you poor thing," she whispered brokenly. She frowned and looked around the alley and didn't spot Rose anywhere. Her shoulders slumped. Looked like she didn't even have the option to skip this particular part of the adventure. As excited as she was to meet Jack, she would have liked to skip the whole, travel by balloon bit.

"Mummy?" the boy called out again.

Celeste rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm coming up. Wait there." She grasped a nearby fire escape and started to climb up.

"Mummy?"

"I'm coming, just give me a minute," she panted out lightly. She reached the flat part of the roof and let out a breath at the height. She looked up at the boy, who was still up a bit higher, and chewed on her lower lip. "Okay, stay there. Don't move." She took a hesitant step towards him and a rope appeared in front of her. She looked at and ran a hand down her face in exasperation. "Fantastic."

She reached out and grabbed it, tugging gently. It didn't give way so she grabbed it more firmly and started to use it to climb up towards the child. Her heart started pounding as sirens started crying out.

"Mummy. Balloon!" the child cried, pointing upwards.

She gasped as she felt herself being lifted, the barrage balloon moving away from the building. She clung to the rope and squeezed her eyes shut. "I should have let the TARDIS keep me locked up forever!"

* * *

The Doctor and Rose walked back into the alleyway. The Doctor frowned at looked around worriedly, "Celeste?"

Rose crossed her arms and tapped her foot, "Looks like she ran off."

The Doctor exhaled loudly, his face worried as he looked up at the sky, "You know, one day, just one day, maybe, I'm going to meet someone who gets the whole, don't wander off thing. Nine hundred years of phone box travel, it's the only thing left to surprise me." He looked over at Rose. "Did you see her before you followed me?"

Rose shifted her gaze away and shook her head, "No, didn't notice her."

His eyes narrowed on her suspiciously but before he could question her further, the phone on the TARDIS began to ring. Rose looked at it in surprise.

"That thing works?"

The Doctor walked over to the TARDIS and opened the door on the front. He stared at it incredulously. "How can you be ringing? What's that about, ringing? What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone?" He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and ran it over the phone, looking at them both curiously.

"Don't answer it. It's not for you," a voice said behind them. Rose and the Doctor turned at looked at the young woman who was staring at them with tired eyes.

"And how dyou know that?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"'Cos I do. And I'm telling you, don't answer it."

"Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing? It's not even a real phone," the Doctor said as he turned to the phone and pulled at the cords, showing it wasn't connected. Rose took a step closer to him and eyed the cables. The Doctor looked back over to where the young woman was but found her gone. He raised an eyebrow and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Hello? This is the Doctor speaking. How may I help you?" he said into the phone cheerfully.

"Mummy? Mummy?" a child's voice said through the phone. The Doctor frowned and Rose pressed herself closer to him in an attempt to hear the phone call.

"Who is this? Who's speaking?"

"Are you my mummy?"

The Doctor grew serious and pulled away from Rose subconsciously, causing her to pout. "Who is this?"

"Mummy?"

"How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone. It's not wired up to anything."

"Mummy?"

A dial tone signaled the end of the call. The Doctor stared at the phone in his hand for a moment before hanging it up on the cradle. He knocked on the door of the TARDIS, calling out for Celeste.

"Celeste? Celeste, are you in there?"

Rose tugged at his arm impatiently and they both turned at a noise coming from the alley's exit. The Doctor tore away from Rose and rushed down the alley. Rose ran after him, calling out his name frantically.

* * *

A man looked through some futuristic binoculars as he watched Celeste's harrowing situation. He was dressed in an officer's coat and seemed unfazed by the bombs going off in the distance. An officer behind him was shouting orders to put out the lights and for everyone to get into the shelter. Another soldier walked up to the man looking through the binoculars, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Jack? Are you going down to the shelter? Only I've got to go off on some silly guard duty." He looked out at what Jack was fixated on. "Ah, barrage balloon, eh? Must've come loose. Happens now and then. Don't you RAF boys use them for target practice?"

Jack ignored him and zoomed the binoculars in on Celeste's jean clad bottom. He smirked slightly. "Excellent bottom," he murmured.

"I say, old man, there's a time and a place! Look, you should really be off," the soldier sputtered.

Jack looked at him, pocketing the binoculars. "Sorry, old man. I've got to go meet a girl. But you've got an excellent bottom too." Jack clapped the man on the shoulder with a cheeky wink. The man flushed and watched as Jack swiftly made his way down the stairs.

* * *

Celeste glanced up at the balloon and felt her hands slip down the rope. She let out a soft whine and took a deep breath.

"I swear, if Jack isn't here, I'm going to be so angry." She dropped the rope and screamed as she started falling through the air. A beam of light shot out and her fall was cut short. Celeste let out a relieved laugh.

"Okay, okay, I've got you," a male voice said.

She smiled at the sound of Jack's voice. "Thank god. I'd really appreciate getting down, in a less deadly fashion, if you please."

"I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field," Jack replied.

Celeste crossed her arms and waited patiently for Jack to bring her down. "You know, I'm hanging in the sky during a German air raid, not exactly the best place to be for an extended period of time."

"Be with you in a moment!" Jack said cheerfully. "Ok, got it. Hold tight?"

"To what, exactly?" she asked dryly.

"Fair point," Jack replied in amusement. Celeste didn't have time to respond as she was suddenly falling through the air again. Her breath was stolen from her and suddenly, she was in Jack's arms. She looked at him through the pieces of hair that had blown in front of her face. Amused blue eyes stared back at her.

"I've got you. You're fine, just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little."

She blew at a piece hair and smiled up at him. "Hi."

Jack grinned, "Hello."

She bit her lip, "Can I get down now?"

He raised an eyebrow and set her down gently. He kept an arm behind her and she weaved back forth slightly. "You all right? You look a bit dizzy."

She rubbed her forehead, "Not good. I don't want to faint. Fainting is so, damsel in distress."

Jack let out a small chuckle and reached out with his other arm as Celeste collapsed, effectively catching her. He set her on the nearby bunk and brushed her hair from her face, studying her for a brief moment. He turned around and typed at his computer while he waited for her to wake up.

* * *

Celeste's eyes fluttered open and she slowly got up. She glanced around and frowned when she didn't spot Jack right away.

"Better now?" he asked softly.

"Can you turn on the lights?"

The lights turned on and Jack leaned back in his chair. "Hello."

Celeste smiled, "Hi. Are we starting this again?"

Jack threw her a charming smile, "If you don't want to, then we can continue on with the introductions."

"Who are you, then?"

He pulled out something from his pocket, handing it to her. "Captain Jack Harkness, One Three Three Squadron, Royal Air Force. American volunteer."

She took the psychic paper and bit back a smile. She looked at it for a moment before closing it and handing it back to him. "You're a liar, Jack. This is psychic paper and it tells me whatever you want it to tell me."

"How do you know that?"

"Two things. One, I have a good friend who uses this all the time. And two, you just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out."

Jack grinned at her, taking the paper. "Tricky thing, psychic paper."

She smirked, "Yeah. Can't let your mind wander at all when you're handing it over."

He flicked it open and smiled, "And you're Celeste Smith. You're single but it's complicated. Interesting."

Celeste looked at him in surprise, "What?"

"How about we forget the psychic paper for now?"

"Sure," she said, a smile playing at her lips. "Nice ship."

Jack shrugged, "Gets me around."

"You're not a local boy, I'm guessing."

"Considering your clothes are made of fabric that won't be around for at least another two decades, I'm guessing you're not a local girl either."

"You are correct, Captain," she teased. She went to brush her hair over her shoulder but hissed in pain. Glancing at her hands, she saw the rope burns had turned an angry red.

"Burn your hands on the rope?" Jack asked, getting up from his chair.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. They just sting."

"Can I have a look at your hands for a moment?" Jack asked, holding his own hands out.

She looked at him, feigning suspicion, before letting her hands rest in his. He turned them over and gently inspected the burns.

"I know exactly who you are, by the way, so you can stop acting so suspicious. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away."

She smiled, "Oh?"

"Been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though not," he looked up at her with a grin, "I must say, by barrage balloon. Do you often travel that way?"

She shrugged, "Oh you know, I just can't help myself. I have this desperate urge to be swept away."

He chuckled as he wrapped his scarf around her wrists. "Keep still if you can." He reached over and pressed a button. A soft glow enveloped her hands and she looked at them in awe.

"Nanogenes. Sub-atomic robots. The air in here is full of them. They just repaired three layers of your skin."

The glowing stopped and he removed the scarf from her wrists. She wiggled her fingers experimentally. "Well, that's handy."

Jack stood up. "Shall we get down to business then?"

She looked up from her hands and raised an eyebrow, "Business?"

He held out a hand, "Shall we have a drink on the balcony?"

She placed her hand in his and he took her through the top hatch of the ship. She stumbled out and her eyes widened at the sight of London burning.

"Invisible spaceship, tethered to Big Ben. Very ostentatious of you."

Jack smiled and set down some glasses of champagne. "First rule of active camouflage. Park somewhere you'll remember." He pulled open the bottle of champagne and filled the glasses. He handed one to her and they clinked the glasses together, sipping the champagne.

* * *

The young woman from before, whose name was Nancy, was quietly storing food that she had taken from a house before Jamie had shown up. She closed the cabinet and turned around, gasping as she saw the Doctor and Rose behind her.

"How'd you follow me here?"

The Doctor clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm good at following, me. Got the nose for it."

"People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to," Nancy said hesitantly.

The Doctor tapped his nose with a smile. "My nose has special powers."

"Yeah? That's why it's…" she trailed off. Rose snickered and he threw her a sour look.

"What?"

"Nothing," Nancy said hurriedly.

"What?!"

"Nothing. Do your ears have special powers too?"

The Doctor's eyes widened as he touched his ears protectively. "What are you trying to say?"

Nancy shook her head, "Goodnight, Mister."

The Doctor frowned, turning serious. "Nancy, there's something chasing you and the other kids. Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right? The thing I'm looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Nancy looked down at the floor. She played with the hem of her jacket to distract herself. Rose, growing impatient, snapped at her. "We haven't got all day, spit it out."

The Doctor glared at Rose sharply who immediately wilted. Nancy looked up. "There was a bomb," she blurted out. "A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station."

"Take me there."

Nancy shook her head, "There's soldiers guarding it. Barbed wire. You'll never get through."

The Doctor smirked, "Try me."

Nancy chewed on her bottom lip as she considered him. "You sure you want to know what's going on in there?"

"I _really_ want to know."

"Then there's someone you need to talk to first."

"And who might that be?"

"The Doctor."

The Doctor's eyebrow rose to his hairline and Rose gaped. They both followed Nancy in a daze to the Doctor.

* * *

Celeste set down her champagne glass and glanced over the edge of the spaceship, cringing slightly. "It's getting a bit late. I should really be heading out."

"We're discussing business," Jack said, also setting aside his glass.

She threw him an amused look. "This isn't business. We're drinking champagne."

"I try to never discuss business with a clear head. Are you travelling alone? Are you authorized to negotiate with me?"

"What exactly would we be negotiating?"

"I have something for the Time Agency. Something they'd like to buy. Are you in power to make payment?" Jack looked at her expectantly.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I would have to talk to my companion."

"Companion?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes, companion. He's probably worried," she said, glancing down again worriedly.

"Him?"

"Do you have the time?" she asked distractedly. Jack pulled out a remote and pressed a button. Big Ben lit up and chimed loudly. She laughed lightly.

"Very flashy. Do you do that for all the girls?"

"So, when you say your companion, how disappointed should I be?" Jack asked.

She took a step closer to him, "Are you flirting with me, Jack?"

He took a step closer to her as well. "Mmm-hmm."

She tapped her fingers on his coat and looked up at him, "We're on a spaceship in the middle of a German air raid. Is flirting wise at a time like this."

He grabbed her hand and tugged her against his chest. "Do you like Glenn Miller?" He pushed a button on his remote and _Moonlight Serenade_ started to play. He started to sway gently as he spoke in her ear, "It's 1941, the height of the London Blitz, the height of the German bombing campaign, and something else has fallen on London. A fully equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence, armed to the teeth. And I know where it is, because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal," he pulled back and looked into her flushed face. "Now, shall we discuss payment?"

The licked her lips and Jack stared at her mouth. She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Do you know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're full of shit."

Jack jerked back and looked at her in surprise. "Two hours, the bomb falls. There'll be nothing left but dust and a crater."

"Ooh, that's sounds bad."

"Are you listening to any of this?" he asked incredulously.

She stepped away from him and waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. You were a Time Agent and now you're a criminal."

Jack scowled slightly,"So, this companion of yours, does he handle the business?"

"He does a lot of the talking and negotiating, yes."

"Well maybe we should go find him."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

Jack walked back over to the hatch and smiled at her, "Easy, I'll do a scan for alien tech."

Celeste laughed and followed him down into the ship.

* * *

Rose stared in horror at Doctor Constantine as a gasmask formed over his head. She stumbled backwards and bumped into the Doctor, who grabbed her shoulder to steady her. His head jerked up as he heard someone calling out.

"Hello?" Jack yelled.

"Hello!" Celeste cried out after him. She pushed the door to the clinic open and smiled as she saw the Doctor and Rose. Jack followed after her.

"Good evening! Hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness. I've been hearing all about you on the way over," Jack said, shooting a wink and a smile at Rose who flushed.

"He knows. I had to tell him about us being Time Agents," Celeste told the Doctor. He looked at her curiously and saw her lips twitching in amusement. He turned towards Jack who had stuck out his hand, he took it cautiously.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mister Spock." Jack walked further into the ward, Rose trailing behind him.

The Doctor turned to Celeste and grabbed her shoulders, rubbing them with his thumbs, "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine, just a bit of an unexpected tour via barrage balloon. I don't recommend it."

He looked alarmed and his hands tightened on her shoulders, "What?! Celeste, you promised you wouldn't take any unnecessary risks!"

"I know, I know, it was an accident. And I knew I'd be fine. Mostly," she said sheepishly.

He shook his head in exasperation. "The TARDIS had the right idea. You should be locked up," he muttered, dropping his hands from her shoulders. She smacked his arm, indignant.

"Now isn't the time to contemplate treating me like Rapunzel. We have more important things to worry about. Chula warships. What do you know about them?"

The Doctor's brow furrowed, "Chula?" His eyes widened and he spun, hastily making his way towards Jack.

Meanwhile, Jack had thoroughly charmed Rose who was following him around like a lovesick puppy. He smiled at her and she flushed before gesturing towards the patients. He looked over at one and started tapping at the device on his wrist. His smile dropped and he started to grow concerned.

"This just isn't possible. How did this happen?"

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" the Doctor asked.

Jack looked up, confused. "What?"

"He said it was a warship but I don't think it was. He stole it and parked it out there. A bomb will fall on it unless we make him an offer," Celeste said swiftly.

"What kind of ship?"

"Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this," Jack said as he gestured to the patients.

The Doctor's hands clenched, "This started at the bomb site. It's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship?"

Jack pulled up a hologram of the ship, "It's an ambulance! Look!" The hologram spun before he turned it off angrily. "That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look, by the way, nice panels. Threw you the bait."

"Bait?" Rose asked, confused by the conversation.

Jack nodded at her. "I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk."

"You said it was a warship," Celeste said.

"They have ambulances in wars. It was a con. I was conning you. That's what I am, I'm a con man. I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you."

"Nope! Just some random freelancers!" Celeste said cheerfully.

Jack frowned and threw his arm around Rose casually. "Oh. Should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local color. I mean, Flag Girl here is one thing but a U-Boat Captain?" Rose looked down at her shirt in confusion as Jack continued. "Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship."

"What's happening, Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Human DNA is being rewritten by an idiot," the Doctor said angrily. Celeste drifted over to him and pat his shoulder. He visibly relaxed and looked over at her gratefully. Rose eyed the two of them, her jealousy spiking at the look they shared. She inwardly seethed and barely bit back a sarcastic insult at Celeste since she knew the Doctor would get upset with her if she insulted his precious Celeste. Instead, she went with her wide eyed routine.

"What do you mean, Doctor?" Rose asked, leaning into Jack slightly.

"I don't know. Some kind of virus converting human beings into these things. But why? What's the point."

As if on queue, all of the patients sat up and slowly turned their heads in the direction of the Doctor and company. The each started chanting mummy over and over, slowly making their way towards them, arms outstretched. Jack moved Rose slightly behind him while the Doctor shielded Celeste.

"Mummy!"

"Don't let them touch you," the Doctor said, still blocking Celeste from the patients.

"What happens if they touch us?" Jack asked, looking at the patients a bit fearfully.

The Doctor looked grim, "You're looking at it."

"Help me, mummy," the patients all muttered while shuffling closer. Celeste's back hit a wall and she placed her hand on the Doctor's back. Rose swallowed audibly and clung to Jack's coat. They could only watch as the patients moved closer and closer.

"Mummy. Mummy. Mummy!"


	11. The Doctor Dances

I don't own anything from Doctor Who, only Celeste. :D

AN: So I had a fun idea for this chapter as I was falling asleep so I'm going to roll with it. Hopefully I can write it how I envisioned it but my ideas tend to be a little weird before I sleep. And I'm getting so close to Ten that I'm randomly having moments of unadulterated glee. It's really embarrassing. But I'm going to stop jabbering get with the story.

* * *

The Doctor took a step forward and held his hands behind his back. He narrowed his eyes at the patients. "Go to your room."

The patients stop at the command and merely stared at them.

"Go to your room. I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I'm very, very cross. Go. To. Your. Room!" the Doctor shouted, pointing his arm towards the door.

The patients cocked their heads and then looked down at the ground as if they were ashamed. They turned and shuffled back slowly to their beds and laid back down.

"I'm really glad that worked. Those would have been terrible last words," the Doctor said jokingly. Celeste covered her eyes and let out a laugh. Jack smiled and clapped the Doctor on the back.

The Doctor glanced back at Jack, "How was your con supposed to work?"

Jack shrugged, "Simple enough, really. Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a prime. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never get to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

"Yeah. Perfect," the Doctor said sarcastically.

Jack scowled and crossed his arms. "The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it though, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day." Celeste scoffed lightly and Rose looked at him skeptically. "Getting a hint of disapproval."

The Doctor spun in a circle, arms wide. "Take a look around the room. This is what your harmless piece of space-junk did!"

"It was a burnt-out medical transporter! It was empty!" Jack cried out.

The Doctor snorted and looked over at Celeste, who was looking around the room in concern.

"Celeste?"

"We need to get out of here. The sooner the better," she replied, her worry not dissipating.

"We're going upstairs," the Doctor said softly. Jack continued to defend himself.

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living. I harmed no one. I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it."

"I believe you, Jack," Rose said to him. He threw her a grateful smile and she flushed happily. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"I'll tell you what's happening. You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's volcano day."

A siren sounded in the distance causing them all to look around uneasily.

"What's that?" Rose asked shakily.

"The all clear," Jack said unconvincingly.

"I wish," the Doctor muttered. He hurried out the door with his coat flapping behind him. Celeste jumped up and ran after him followed closely by Jack and Rose.

"Mister Spock?" Jack called out.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled. They looked up and saw him one floor up so they quickly made their way up the stairs.

"Have you got a blaster?" The Doctor called out over his shoulder.

"Sure!" Jack yelled back. Rose and Jack met him and Celeste outside of a metal door. The Doctor tugged at the handle but it wouldn't budge.

"The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt. This was where they were taken," the Doctor said, motioning to the door.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Let's find out. Get it open," the Doctor said, gesturing Jack towards the door. Rose looked at him questioningly but he waved away her question impatiently. Celeste bounced lightly on her feet anxiously. Jack blasted the door lock and pushed it open.

"Sonic blaster, fifty first century. Weapon factories of Villengard?" the Doctor more stated then asked.

Jack looked at him in surprise as he pocketed the blaster. "You've been to the factories?"

"Once," the Doctor said. Celeste snickered and he looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. She shot him a look that showed she knew exactly what had happened to the factory. A sly smile grew on his face and he turned back to Jack as he started speaking again.

"Well, they're gone now, destroyed. The Main reactor went critical. Vaporized the lot."

"Like I said. Once. There's a banana grove there, now. I like bananas. Bananas are good."

"Nice blast pattern," Rose said to Jack coyly.

Jack held up the gun, "Digital."

"Squareness gun," she said.

"Yeah."

"I like it."

Celeste cleared her throat, interrupting the flirtation. Jack and the Doctor walked further into the room while Rose threw Celeste a glare. Celeste held up her hands, trying to look innocent. The room they were in was filled with equipment. Another room could be seen through a giant broken window; the walls were covered in drawings clearly done by a small child.

"What do you think?" the Doctor asked them all.

Jack kicked a piece of glass, "Something got out of here."

"Yeah. And?"

"Something powerful. Angry," Jack said shrugging.

"Powerful and angry," the Doctor said mockingly. Jack scowled at him but turned towards the drawings. He grabbed one, inspecting it curiously. He held it up to the others.

"A child? I suppose that explains Mummy."

"How could a child do this?" Rose asked softly. The Doctor returned to the other room and pushed play on a tape machine. Doctor Constantine's voice came through the recorder.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"Are you aware of what's around you? Can you see?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"What do you want? Do you know…"

"I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

"I've heard that voice before," Celeste said grimly.

The Doctor nodded as he returned to the child's room. "Me too."

"Mummy?"

"He's looking for his mother. He doesn't know who she is," Celeste said sadly.

"Mummy?"

"Why doesn't he know?" Rose asked in confusion.

"Are you there, mummy? Mummy?"

The Doctor looked around the room with an intense frown. Rose looked at him. "Doctor?"

"Can you sense it?" he asked softly, his eyes darting around the room as he looked at the photos.

Jack looked around as well before shaking his head, "Sense what?"

"Coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?"

"Mummy?"

"Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?" the Doctor muttered.

"When he's stressed, he likes to insult species," Rose told Jack indifferently.

"Rose, I'm thinking," the Doctor snapped out.

"Humans don't always sense things that he can sense. We're too bogged down by emotions and thoughts," Celeste said quickly before Rose could antagonize the Doctor more.

The Doctor started muttering under his breath, "There are these children living rough round the bomb sites. They come out during air-raids looking for food.

"Mummy, please?"

"Suppose they were there when this thing, whatever it was, landed?"

"It was a med-ship. It was harmless," Jack said firmly.

"Yes, you keep saying harmless. Suppose one of them was affected, altered?"

"Altered how?" Rose asked. The tape in the other room ended and all that could be heard was sound of the tape spinning. Celeste stilled and shifted further into the observation room. Everyone else remained oblivious to the tape's end.

"I'm here!"

"It's afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will. It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to it's room," the Doctor said in a rush.

"Doctor," Rose said softly.

"I'm here. Can't you see me?"

"What's that noise?"

"End of the tape. It ran out about thirty seconds ago."

"I'm here, now. Can't you see me?"

"I sent it to it's room," the Doctor said slowly. "This is it's room."

They all turned and jumped in surprise at seeing the child standing there. Rose shifts closer to the Doctor in fear.

"Are you my mummy? Mummy?"

"Doctor," Rose whispered.

"Okay, on my signal, make for the door," Jack said softly, reaching into his coat pocket.

"Mummy?"

Jack yanked his hand out of his pocket and aims a banana at the child. "Now!" He gaped at the banana in his hand

"Mummy?"

The Doctor pulled Jack's blaster out of his own pocket and blasted a square hole in the wall. "Go now!" They all rushed out of the hole. "And don't drop the banana!" The Doctor yelled at Jack.

"Why the hell not?!"

"Good source of potassium!" the Doctor said, smiling. He handed Jack back his blaster who used it to close the hole in the wall.

"Digital rewind. Nice switch," he said to the Doctor.

"It's from the groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate."

"There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?" Jack asked skeptically.

"Bananas are good," the Doctor said with a shrug. A huge crack suddenly appeared in the wall. Celeste swore quietly.

"Doctor!" Rose called out in terror.

"Come on!" They start to run down the corridor only to be stopped by several patients. They turn around and come to another abrupt halt as patients came around another corner as well. They were effectively trapped. Rose hid behind Jack who was turning his gun in each direction. Celeste was a few steps away from Jack and was only staring at the patients, her anxiety growing.

"It's keeping us here 'til it can get at us," the Doctor said grimly from beside Rose.

"It's controlling them?" Jack asked, still pointing his gun.

"It is them. It's every living thing in this hospital."

"Okay," Jack said firmly. He kept his gun held out, "This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and as a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Doc, what have you got?"

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and stared at morosely, "I've got a sonic, er. Oh, never mind."

"What?"

"It's sonic, okay? Let's leave it at that."

"Disrupter? Cannon? What?"

"It's sonic! Totally sonic! I am soniced up!"

"A sonic what?!"

"Screwdriver!" the Doctor yelled, holding up the screwdriver. Rose glanced between the two and the wall, where the child had finally broken through. She looked over at Celeste who was still staring at the patients and was still a few steps away from Jack. She bit her lip and reached over to Jack, tugging the gun from him and pulling him closer to her and the Doctor. She aimed the gun down and the three of them fell through the floor, leaving Celeste still standing there.

Celeste whipped around as she heard a thud and her eyes widened as she saw the hole. She took a step towards it but it sealed itself a half second later and she came to a sudden halt. She turned to look at the small child in horror as he stepped through the wall.

"Mummy?"

She backed against the wall and closed her eyes as arms wrapped around her middle.

* * *

Jack shoved the gun in his pocket after sealing the hole. The room was pitch black so they were unable to see each other.

"Doctor, are you okay?" Rose asked in a shaky voice.

He grunted as he stumbled up. "Could've used a warning."

She snorted, "Oh, the gratitude."

The Doctor frowned, "Celeste, you okay?"

Rose gulped and shifted uncomfortably. She hastily started trying to find a light switch to hide her nervousness. The Doctor's hearts started pounding as he didn't hear a single word from her. Jack also frowned and squinted through the darkness.

"Celeste!" the Doctor said harshly. The lights flicked on and the patients on the bed all sat up. The Doctor didn't see Celeste anywhere and he slowly looked up at the ceiling in horror. The patients started climbing out of the bed and Rose shoved the Doctor towards the door. Jack held up his gun but it didn't go off.

"Damn it! It's the special features. They really drain the battery."

The Doctor had pulled out his sonic screwdriver on the door but his mind was centered on Celeste who he realized was still upstairs, with the child. He needed to figure this out, or he knew never see a pair of beautiful green eyes ever again. The door popped open and they rushed into storeroom.

"A battery? That's so lame!" Rose said scornfully.

"I was going to send for another one, but somebody's got to blow up the factory," Jack said dryly.

"Oh, I know. First day I met him, he blew up my job. That's practically how he communicates."

The Doctor slowly turned to the two of them. "Why didn't Celeste come down? Where was she standing?"

Jack sat down in a chair and frowned, thinking for a moment. "I know she was behind me at one point. I don't remember seeing here when Rose grabbed the gun from me to shoot the floor."

"I thought she was right behind Jack. I knew we had to get away so I shot at the floor…" Rose said but she stopped upon seeing the look on the Doctor's face. Jack also shifted in the chair uncomfortably.

"You had both better hope that I can stop this and she's fine," he said softly, his body rigid with dark promise.

Rose swallowed past the lump in her throat. The Doctor looked around the room.

"The door should hold it for a bit."

"The door? The wall didn't stop it!" Jack cried out.

"Well, it's got to find us first. Come on, we're not done yet. We're not done until I find Celeste. Assets!"

"Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch, you could put up some shelves," Jack said, leaning back in the chair.

The Doctor looked at the window, "Window?"

"Barred. Sheer drop outside. Seven stories."

"And no other exits," Rose muttered softly.

The Doctor snorted, "Where did Celeste pick you up?"

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a chance," Jack said dryly. He started messing with the device on his wrist as Rose turned back to the Doctor.

"Okay. One, we've got to get out of here and save Celeste. Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?"

"Yeah, Jack just disappeared," Rose said with a gasp.

The Doctor whipped around and glared at the seat Jack had been sitting moments before.

* * *

Celeste curled up against the wall and held her right hand in front of her. A mark had formed on it a minute ago. She hit her head lightly against the wall as a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. "I'm scared," she whispered softly to herself.

She started to cough and she touched her throat in growing terror. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as the coughing got worse as the minutes passed. She gagged, clutching her throat frantically. The gas mask came from her mouth and within seconds, she was shuffling down the corridor with several other patients.

* * *

"Okay, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the great looking ones who do that?" Rose ask sarcastically.

The Doctor grit his teeth and ignored her. He pulled out his screwdriver and started using it on the concrete by the window. The radio in the room suddenly crackled and Jack's voice came out.

"Rose? Doctor? Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship? Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you. It's security-keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it. Hang in there."

The Doctor looked at the radio, frowning, "How're you speaking to us?"

"Om-com. I can call anything with a speaker grill."

The Doctor snorted and turned back to the window. "Now there's a coincidence."

"What is?"

"The child can Om-Com, too."

"He can?" Rose asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Anything with a speaker grill. Even the TARDIS phone."

"You mean the child can phone us?"

"And I can heaar you. She wasn't my mummy. Coming to find you. Coming to find you." Rose paled and the Doctor glared at the radio.

"Doctor, can you hear that?" Jack asked.

"Loud and clear," the Doctor bit out.

"I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do," Jack replied. "How about a little music while you wait?"

Moonlight Serenade started playing through the speakers and the Doctor barely contained the eye roll that threatened. Rose plopped into the wheelchair and looked up at the Doctor, who was still by the window.

"What you doing?" Rose asked softly.

"Trying to set up a resonation pattern in the concrete, loosen the bars."

She chewed her lip. "You don't think he's coming back, do you?"

"Wouldn't bet my life."

"Why don't you trust him?"

"You do?"

She picked at a fingernail as she contemplated her answer. "Well, he seemed to me like he didn't want to hurt anyone. He told me about the time he spent with Celeste; the champagne and the dancing." She looked up at him discretely to gauge his reaction to her statement. His grip on the sonic screwdriver had caused his knuckles to whiten. She hid a smirk and continued. "And he did save her life before, so I'm sure she was grateful to him. He seemed to like her and she must have trusted him. And he reminds me of you, but with dating and dancing."

He stopped his work at the window and glanced back at her, "You just assume I'm…"

"What?"

"You just assume that I don't dance."

"What, are you telling me you do dance?" she said with a growing smile.

He snorted, turning back to the window. "Nine hundred years old, me. I've been around a bit. I think you can assume at some point I've danced."

"You?"

"Problem?"

"Doesn't the universe implode or something if you dance?"

"Or something, sure. We'll go with that."

Rose looked up at him and turned up the volume on the radio. She walked over to him and tapped his shoulder. "You've got the moves? Show me your moves," she said, voice husky.

He scowled. "Rose, I'm trying to resonate concrete. And Celeste is still out there, alone."

"Jack'll be back. He'll get us out. So come on. The world doesn't end because the Doctor dances," she said, holding out her hands with a confident smile. The Doctor stared at her hands and took a hesitant step forward. Rose inwardly squealed with glee, thinking he was finally going to see her instead of Celeste. He gripped her wrists tightly and she smile fell.

"Barrage balloon…" He said softly.

"What?"

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon. But her hands…"

Rose's eyes narrowed and she tugged her hands away. Her earlier joy at having his undivided attention was shattered. The Doctor had continued speaking as if he didn't notice her reaction.

"Her hands were fine, not a single burn from a rope. Not a single bruise. How?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, her lips twisting in disdain. "Maybe Captain Jack fixed her up."

He rolled his eyes, "He's not really a captain, Rose."

"Do you know what I think? I think you're experiencing Captain envy. You should still show me your moves, Doctor. We have time to spare while we wait."

"If ever he was a captain, he's been defrocked."

"Yeah? Shame I missed that."

"Actually, I quit. Nobody takes my frock. Most people notice when they've been teleported so I assume whatever you were discussing was important. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-com offline to override the teleport security.

"You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols? Maybe you should remember whose ship it is," the Doctor said as he looked around the ship.

"Oh, I do. She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes."

The Doctor threw him a furious glare. "This is a Chula ship."

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter. Only this one is dangerous."

The Doctor snapped his fingers and his hands were surrounded by a golden glow. Rose gaped at his hands, "Whoa, what's that?"

"Nanogenes," the Doctor said grimly. "Sub-atomic robots. There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now. They activate when the bulk head's sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws. That's why she didn't have any burns on her hands." He looked at Jack. "Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk."

Jack nodded and turned back to his console. "As soon as I get the nav-com back online. Make yourself comfortable."

* * *

Jack, Rose and the Doctor stood behind some crates as they started at the gate leading to the crash site.

"There it is. Hey, they've got Algy on duty. It must be important," Jack said as he looked at Algy curiously.

"We've got to get past them," the Doctor muttered.

"Are the words distract the guard heading in my general direction?" Rose asked sarcastically.

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Jack said as he glanced between the two.

"Don't worry. I think I can handle it."

"I've gotten to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me, you're not his type. I'll distract him. Don't wait up." Jack jogged up the to gate and called out to Algy. Rose frowned after him and huffed lightly.

"Relax, he's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing," the Doctor said in amusement.

"Meaning?"

"So many species, so little time."

"What, that's what we do when we get out there? That's our mission? We seek new life, and, and…"

"Dance," the Doctor said dryly. Rose looked flabbergasted for a moment before turning her attention back to the gate. Jack was talking to Algy quietly for a few minutes before jumping back in shock. The Doctor swore and ran towards the gate, Rose right behind him.

"Stay back!" The Doctor yelled.

Jack looked over at the other soldiers and held out an arm. "You men, stay away!"

The Doctor looked at Algy grimly before turning his eyes to Jack, "The effect's airborne now, accelerating."

Rose gripped his arm tightly, "What's keeping us safe?"

"Nothing."

The air raid sirens sounded again in the distance. Jack glanced up at the sky for a moment. "Ah, here they come again."

"Did you say a bomb was going to land here?" Rose asked hesitantly.

"Never mind about that. If the contaminants airborne now, there's hours left," the Doctor said swiftly.

"For what?" Jack asked in confusion.

"'Til nothing, forever. For the entire human race. And can anyone else hear singing?" The Doctor asked, looking around. He started walking towards a small building and opened the door to reveal Nancy, handcuffed and singing to a man with a gas mask. He gestured to her to keep singing and he pulled out his screwdriver, using it to open the cuffs. They hastily left the building and headed towards the crash site.

* * *

The Doctor stared at the spaceship intently as Jack, Rose and Nancy looked on.

"You see? Just an ambulance," Jack said in exasperation.

Nancy looked at him in disbelief. "That's an ambulance?"

Rose patted her shoulder lightly. "It's hard to explain. It's from another world."

Jack stepped closer to the pod and ran a hand over the exterior lightly, noting the divots and burns. "They've been trying to get in."

"Of course they have. They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon," the Doctor said sarcastically. He frowned as Jack started typing at the console. "What're you doing?"

"The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it."

Jack continued to type the access codes into the console when it sparked suddenly, an alarm going off. Jack looked at it in surprise. "Didn't happen last time."

The Doctor glared at him, "It hadn't crashed last time. There'll be emergency protocols."

Rose looked at the Doctor worriedly as the sound of voices could be heard. "Doctor, what is that?"

There was a banging sound with cries of mummy. The Doctor shoved Jack towards the gates, "Captain, secure those gates!"

Jack stumbled and looked at him, "Why?"

"Just do it! Nancy, how'd you get in here?"

"I cut the wire."

He pulled out his screwdriver and handed it to Rose. "Show Rose. Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty eight D."

Rose caught the screwdriver and looked at him with questions in her eyes. Before she could ask he shoved them both towards the fence. "Reattaches barbed wire. Go!"

Rose and Nancy rushed off and the Doctor looks around the enclosed site as patients start showing up. His eyes search frantically for Celeste's form but he grew increasingly frustrated when he didn't spot her. He spun around and looked back at Jack who had finally gotten the ambulance open.

"It's empty. Look at it!" Jack said as he gestured to the pod.

"What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter? Bandages? Cough drops? It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species," the Doctor spat out in anger.

Jack paled, "Oh, god."

The Doctor sneered at him and he spun around to look at the patients who were still arriving at the site. "Getting it now, are we? When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gasmask."

Rose's jaw dropped, "And they brought him back to life? They can do that?"

He threw up his hands in aggravation. "What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene. One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like." He turned and stared at Jack, his eyes fierce. "All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do. They patch it up. Can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then they fly, off they go, work to be done. Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. Like they would have fixed Celeste, who was alone. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!"

Jack trembled, his fists clenching as the realization of what was happening sunk in. "I didn't know," he said softly. Rose and Nancy looked around fearfully as even more patients started showing up at the crash site, all saying mummy over and over.

"It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?" Rose asked as she looked at the Doctor. He nodded.

"The ship thinks it's under attack. It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol."

"But the gas mask people aren't troops!"

The Doctor looked out over the patients as they stood silently. He still didn't see Celeste in the crowd and his worry for her spiked. "They are now. This is a battlefield ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up, they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, program you."

"That's why the child's so strong. Why it could do that phoning thing," Rose said.

He nodded at her. "It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, es. All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy. And now there's an army of them."

They each looked at the patients who had stopped speaking and merely stood there. Jack rubbed his face tiredly. "Why don't they attack."

"Good little soldiers, waiting for their commander," the Doctor muttered, his eyes still scanning the patients.

Jack looked at him in surprise, "The child?"

"Jamie," Nancy burst out tearfully. Jack looked at her, his brow furrowed.

"What?"

"Not the child. Jamie," Nancy said firmly.

"So how long until the bomb falls?" Rose asked as she looked up at the sky. The sound of explosions was getting closer by the second.

"Any second," Jack said grimly.

"What's the matter, Captain? A bit close to the volcano for you?"

"He's just a little boy," Nancy whispered brokenly.

The Doctor looked at her and his face softened. "I know."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "He's just a little boy who wants his mummy."

"I know. There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can."

"So what're we going to do?" Rose asked in a panic.

The Doctor looked at the patients and sighed, "I don't know."

Nancy let out a sob, "It's my fault."

"No," the Doctor said with a shake of his head.

"It is. It's my fault."

"How can it be your…" The Doctor trailed off as cries from the patients could be heard again. His eyes widened as he looked at Nancy. "Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty one? Older than you look, yes?"

Nancy looked at him, her eyes scared and sad. His mind raced as he realized the implications.

"Doctor, that bomb. We've got seconds," Jack said.

"You can teleport us out!" Rose cried.

Jack shook his head regretfully. "Not you guys. The nav-com's back online. Going to take too long to override the protocols."

The Doctor didn't turn away from Nancy when he spoke to Jack. "So it's volcano day. Do what you've got to do."

Rose's jaw dropped and she looked at Jack, "Jack?" Jack looked at Rose for a moment before he disappeared. Rose felt her heart drop.

The Doctor ignored them as he continued to talk to Nancy softly. "How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway. He's not your brother, is he? A teenage single mother in 1941. So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him."

The three of them glance up as the gate burst open, revealing Jamie.

"Are you my mummy?"

Nancy cried harder as she stared at him.

"He's going to keep asking, Nancy. He's never going to stop."

"Mummy?"

"Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him," the Doctor said gently, his heart racing despite his outward calm.

Nancy and Jamie slowly walked towards one another. Nancy knelt down and held out her arms, enveloping him in a hug as she whispered to him. Nanogenes surrounded them, buzzing around them as Nancy hugged the small boy.

"What's happening? Doctor, it's changing her, we should…"

"Shush!" he said to Rose sharply. "Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out. The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out!"

"What's happening?"

He waved his hand at Nancy and Jamie as the nanogenes continued to swirl around them. "See? Recognizing the same DNA."

Jamie suddenly released Nancy and they both collapsed to the ground. The Doctor rushed over to Jamie's side, "Oh, come on. GIve me a day like this. Give me this one." He gently removed the gas mask and revealed a slightly confused but alive little boy. The Doctor let out a whoop of joy and lifted him in the air. "Ha-ha! Welcome back! Twenty years until pop music! You're going to love it!" He set down Jamie and helped Nancy up.

"What happened?" Nancy asked groggily.

"The nanogenes recognized the superior information, the parent DNA. They didn't change you because you changed them! Ha ha! Mother knows best!"

Rose tugged at the Doctor's arm, "Doctor, that bomb?"

He waved a hand at her concern, "Take care of it."

"How?"

"Psychology."

They both glanced up to see a large bomb hurtling towards them but it's stopped suddenly by a beam of light. Jack peeked his head over the bomb and a shift in the bomb revealed him riding it. He waved his arm up.

"Doctor!"

"Good lad!"

"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long!"

"Change of plans! Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?"

Jack nodded solemnly and looked over at Rose. "Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Goodbye."

Jack disappeared with the bomb for a few seconds before reappearing again, an amused grin on his face. "By the way, love the t-shirt!" He vanished again and the spaceship flew off. Rose let out a laugh, her face red. The Doctor gathered the nanogenes and concentrated on them for a moment.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"Software patch. Going to email the upgrade. You want moves, Rose? I'll give you moves." With that said, he threw his arms forward and released the nanogenes towards the patients. The patients all fell to the ground abruptly and the Doctor grinned. "Everybody lives, Rose. Just this once, everybody lives!"

He rushed towards the patients just as they were waking up. He spotted Doctor Constantine who was looking around, disoriented.

"Doctor Constantine! Who never left his patients. Back on your feet, constant doctor. The world doesn't want to get by without you just yet, and I don't blame it one bit. These are your patients. All better now."

Constantine looked around at the other patients, "Yes, yes, so it seems. They also seem to be standing around in a disused railway station. Is there any particular reason for that?"

"Yeah, well, you know, cutbacks. Listen, whatever was wrong with them in the past, you're probably going to find that they're cured. Just tell them what a great doctor you are. Don't make a big thing of it. Okay?" The Doctor clapped Constantine on the back and hurried into the throng of people.

* * *

Celeste helped an older woman stand up, "There you are. Nice and easy now." She smiled at the woman and then raised her head upon hearing her name. She raised herself onto her toes in order to see over the crowd but let herself drop upon feeling the old woman's hand on her arm. She looked back and smiled at her again. Celeste gestured to a young man nearby and he helped the older woman away from the site.

Celeste let out a sigh and touched her face with her palms. She smiled and turned around, bumping into someone as she did so. "Oh, I'm sorry, I…" she trailed off and looked up at who she had run into causing her eyes to widened. "Oh! Doctor! I was wondering where…" She was cut off again when arms wrapped around her and she was squeezed tightly.

"I thought you were gone," he whispered hoarsely.

She let out a dry chuckle, "Can't get rid of me that easily. Although, I was a bit concerned when the nanogenes changed me. Didn't see that one coming for once. Can't say it was a nice change."

The Doctor slowly released her and brought his hands up to her face, caressing her cheeks lightly. She wrinkled her nose playfully, "Never realized how nice it was to have a face."

The Doctor didn't react to her comment; he simply stared at her in silence. She frowned and brought her hands up to grab his. "Are you all right? Everyone's fine, yes? So why the look?"

"I'm sorry I left you alone," he said softly.

She relaxed and smiled at him, "It's fine. Mostly my fault for not being close enough to Jack when Rose used the device on the floor. I'm all better now though. I'm assuming you've already set the ambulance to explode, yeah? Speaking of Jack, I believe you said everybody lives this time, right?"

He hummed in response before her comment registered in his mind. He scowled at her lightly, "Must we?"

She laughed, "We must."

He grumbled and she looped her arm through his, tugging him towards the TARDIS. He looked down at her, his hearts relieved at finding her safe and smiling.

* * *

Rose stared at the floor of the TARDIS as the Doctor chatted excitedly to Celeste, who laughed at his antics. She was upset, unreasonably so, at the Doctor's constant attention towards Celeste. Her insides twisted as she thought about the things she had done throughout the day to get rid of Celeste. Part of her felt badly but another part, a more vindictive and jealous part, was angry at the auburn haired woman for persisting. Rose glanced up as the TARDIS doors open, revealing Jack as he sipped a martini.

"Get in here Jack, haven't got all day," Celeste said cheerfully. Jack jumped up and rushed through the doors, coming to an abrupt halt as he realized where he was.

"Close the door, will you? Your ships about to blow up. There's going to be a draft," the Doctor said as he started up the engines. Jack shut the door and looked around at the TARDIS, his face showing his awe. "Welcome to the TARDIS."

"Much bigger on the inside," Jack said. Music was playing still from Jack's ship and it echoed throughout the control room.

"You'd better be," the Doctor snorted.

Celeste threw him an amused smirk before looking over at Jack. "I think what the Doctor's trying to say is you may have this dance." She held out a hand to Jack who laughed. The music suddenly changed from Moonlight Serenade to a much more upbeat number. The Doctor jumped up and grabbed Celeste's hand, swinging her around. Jack shook his head and watched as the Doctor danced with Celeste. He noticed Rose off to the side and held out a hand to her. She took it gratefully and soon, all four were laughing and dancing, the TARDIS humming in the background.


	12. Bad Wolf

I don't own anything from the Doctor Who universe, just Celeste.

AN: FINALLY. I'm jumping straight into the bad wolf stuff because I can't restrain myself. I've been anticipating this and getting to 10 from the moment I started this story. HUZZAH. So I'm going to stop jabbering and get on with the story. Hehe.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose both moaned as they were spun in a small cupboard. They tumbled out when it jerked to a halt. "What is it? What's happening?" The Doctor mumbled underneath Rose. He groaned when Rose's elbow dug into his back as she attempted to get up.

Another young woman rushed over to them, gasping in shock and excitement. "Oh, my god! I don't believe it! Why'd they put you in there? They never said you were coming."

Rose got up and swayed, holding a hand to her head. The Doctor also stood and was just as uneasy on his feet. He looked around the room in confusion. "What happened? I was…" He started to fall and the woman reached out to steady him.

"Careful now. Oh! Oh, mind yourself! Oh, that's the transmat. It scrambles your head. I was sick for days. All right? So, what's your name then, sweetheart? I'm Lynda, that's Strood, and that's Crosbie."

"The Doctor, I think. I was, er. I don't know, what happened? How…"

"You two got chosen!" Lynda said, interrupting him.

"I'm Rose, by the way. Chosen for what?" Rose asked.

"You're a housemate! You're in the house! Isn't that brilliant?!"

Strood stood off to the side, arms crossed and unimpressed. "That's not fair. We've got eviction in five minutes! I've been here for all nine weeks, I've followed the rules, I haven't had a single warning, and they come swanning in."

"If they keep changing the rules, I'm going to protest, I am. You watch me, I'm going to paint the walls," Crosbie said. They were all interrupted when a voice came over an intercom.

"Would the Doctor please go to the diary room?"

Lynda pointed him towards a door which he entered and sat down on the single chair. The voice spoke again, "You are live on channel forty four thousand. Please do not swear."

The Doctor stared at the camera in front of him incredulously. "You have _got _to be kidding."

* * *

Celeste groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She looked around groggily and grimaced at the cold floor she was laying on. A man was bending over her in mild concern.

"What happened?" She mumbled as he helped her up.

"It's all right. It's the transmat. Does your head in. Get a bit of amnesia. What's your name?"

She put a hand to her head, "Celeste. Where's the Doctor?"

"Just remember, do what the android says. Don't provoke it. The android's word is law?"

"Android? What do you mean, and…" Her eyes widened as memories flooded into her mind. "Oh my god." She whispered. She looked around frantically and spotted several lecterns with names on them, including her own.

"Positions, everyone! Thank you!" A woman with a headset yelled.

"Come on, hurry up," the man said as he helped her to her spot. She stumbled up to it and looked at it in horror.

"Oh god, how did I forget this? I was too wrapped up in Japan…" She whispered brokenly.

"That's enough chat! Positions! Final call! Good luck!"

Celeste swallowed past the lump in her throat and stood at her spot. She just had to get enough questions right to stay long enough for the final round. Then, everyone else would show up. Granted, it would only be long enough for her to be fake vaporized but at least she'd know that everything was still going as it should.

"Android activated!" The woman with the headset shouted.

The android turned on, "Welcome to The Weakest Link!"

* * *

After leaving the diary room, the Doctor had started inspecting everything with his sonic screwdriver. Rose had settled into a chair and was fidgeting nervously.

"I can't open it," the Doctor muttered incredulously.

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything?" Rose asked.

"It's got a deadlock seal, ever since Big Brother five hundred and four when they all walked out. You must remember that," Lynda said.

"What about this?" The Doctor asked, gesturing to a picture in an alcove.

"Oh, that's exoglass. You'd need a nuclear bomb to get through," Lynda said cheerfully.

"Don't tempt me," he muttered darkly. Lynda sidled up to him and spoke to him softly.

"I know you're not supposed to talk about the outside world, but you must've been watching. Do people like me? Lynda. Lynda with a Y, not Linda with an I. She got forcibly evicted because she damaged the camera. Am I popular?"

"I don't remember," the Doctor replied indifferently. Lynda visibly wilted at his statement.

"Oh, but does that mean I'm nothing? Some people get this far just because they're insignificant. Doesn't anybody notice me?"

"No, you're, you're nice. You're sweet. Everybody thinks you're sweet."

"Oh, is that right? Is that what I am? Oh, no one's ever told me that before. Am I sweet? Really?" Lynda's face had brightened considerably. Rose rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yeah. Dead sweet," Rose said sarcastically.

Lynda, oblivious to the sarcasm, beamed. "Thank you!"

The Doctor continued to investigate the room and was more alarmed at what he found. "It's a wall. Isn't there supposed to be a garden out there or something?"

Lynda laughed, "Don't be daft. No one's got a garden anymore. Who's got a garden? Don't tell me you've got a garden."

"No, I've just got the TARDIS. I remember." His mind raced as memories flashed across his eyes.

"That's the amnesia! So what happened? Where did they get you?" Lynda asked cheerfully.

"We'd just left Raxacoriofallapatorius. Then we went to Kyoto. That's right, Japan in 1336, and we only just escaped. We were together, all of us. Laughing, I remember her laughing. And then there was this light. This white light coming through the walls, and then. And then we woke up here." The Doctor frowned in confusion and frustration.

"Yeah, that's the transmat beam. That's how they pick the housemates," Lynda said, nodding vigorously.

"Oh, Lynda with a Y. Sweet little Lynda. It's worse than that. I'm not just a passing traveller. No stupid little transmat gets inside my ship. That beam was fifteen million times more powerful, which means this isn't just a game. There's something else going on." He stormed over to one of the giant eyes on the wall and glared at it. "Well, here's the latest update from the Big Brother house. I'm getting out. I'm going to find my friends, and then I'm going to find you."

* * *

"I need to find the Doctor," Celeste started to say but she was interrupted by a hiss from Rodrick.

"Just shut up and play the game."

She glared at him and gripped the lectern in front of her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could last just as long as Rose did in the show so long as she did the same things Rose had done, minus the laughter. This was anything but funny.

"Three, and cue!" the woman with the headset yelled. The android turned on and began to speak.

"Let's play The Weakest Link. Start the clock. Agorax, the name of which basic food stuff is an anagram of the word 'beard'?"

"Bread!" Agorax cried out after a moment.

"Correct. Fitch. In the Pan Traffic Calendar, which month comes after Hoob?"

"I-is it Clavadoe?" Fitch stuttered.

"No, Pandoff. Celeste, in math, what is 258 minus 158?"

"One hundred," Celeste said softly.

"Correct. Rodrick."

"Bank."

"Which letter of the alphabet appears in the word dangle but not in the word gland?"

"E."

"Correct. Colleen, in social security, what D is the name of the payment given to Martian Drones?"

"Default."

"Correct. Broff, the Great Cobalt Pyramid is built on the remains of which famous Old Earth Institute?"

Broff licked his lips and looked at the other contestants nervously, "Um, Touchdown?"

"No, Torchwood. Agorax, in language, all five examples of which type of letter appear in the word facetious?"

"Vowels."

"Correct. Fitch, in biology, which blood cells contain iron? Red or white?"

"White."

"No, red. Celeste, in the holovid series 'Jupiter Rising', the Grexnik is married to whom?"

Celeste bit her lip, "I don't know."

"No, the correct answer is Lord Drayvole."

Celeste closed her eyes and wished for the nightmare to be over.

* * *

Rose and the three housemates sat on the couch in front of the large monitor. Lynda looked back at the Doctor who was still inspecting various places throughout the room.

"Doctor, they said all the housemates must gather on the sofa. You've got to," Lynda said.

"I'm busy getting out, thanks."

"But if you don't obey, then all the housemates get punished."

"Come on, Doctor. Let's just humor them for a bit, yeah?" Rose asked dryly.

The Doctor grunted and flung himself in a chair. He fiddled with the screw driver while Rose leaned her head against her head, utterly bored. Lynda, Strood, and Crosbie sat next to each other holding hands.

"Big Brother House this is, Davinda Droid. Crosbie, Lynda, and Strood, you have all been nominated for eviction. And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is…Crosbie!"

The Doctor let out an annoyed sigh and bounced his leg anxiously. He had to get out and find the TARDIS. Find Celeste.

"I'm sorry! Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry!" Lynda sobbed into Crosbie's shoulder.

"Oh, it should've been me. Oh, that's not fair, Crosbie love," Strood said, patting her shoulder.

"Crosbie, you have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you!"

"I won't forget you," Lynda said sadly as they watched Crosbie walk to a door. Crosbie looked back at Lynda, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry I stole your soap."

Rose's eyes widened in as she stared at them. She wasn't sure why they were acting as if the world was ending.

"I dont mind, honestly."

"Crosbie, please leave the Big Brother House."

A door leading to a bright, white corridor opened. Crosbie looked back at them one last time, waving pitifully.

Lynda and Strood sat back down on the sofa as an image of Crosbie showed up on the screen.

"It's only a game show. She'll make a fortune on the outside. Sell her story, release a record, fitness video, all of that. She'll be laughing," the Doctor said as he continued to bounce his knee anxiously.

Lynda looked at him as if he was crazy. "What do you mean, on the outside?"

"Here we go," Strood said softly.

"What are they waiting for? Why don't they just let her go?" Rose asked, annoyed.

"Stop it, it's not funny," Lynda snapped.

"Eviction in five, four, three, two, one." Lynda buried her face in Strood's shoulder as a white beam hit Crosbie. It hit her for a few moments before she vanished. The Doctor shot up and stared at the screen in fascinated horror. Rose slowly sat up and looked at the Doctor in fear.

"What was that?" The Doctor asked.

Strood stood up, stretching lightly. "Disintegrator beam."

"She's been evicted. From life," Lynda said softly.

"Oh, my god," Rose whispered in horror. She covered her mouth as she looked up at the Doctor, her face pale.

The Doctor jumped up, "Are you insane? You just step right into the disintegrator? Is it that important, getting your face on the telly? Is it worth dying for?"

"You're talking like we've got a choice!" Lynda cried out.

"But I thought you had to apply," Rose said slowly.

"Don't be so stupid. That's how they played it centuries back," Strood snapped out.

"You get chosen whether you like it or not," Lynda said with a shrug. "Everyone on Earth is a potential contestant. The transmat beam picks you out at random. And it's non stop. There are sixty Big Brother houses running all at once."

"It's a charnel house! What about the winners? What do they get?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"They get to live," Lynda replied.

"That's it? They just get to live? What the hell kind of place is this? This is sick," Rose sputtered in outrage.

Lynda frowned, "Well, isn't that enough?"

"Celeste is out there. She got caught in the transmat. She's a contestant. Time I got out. That other contestant, er, Linda with an I. She was forcibly evicted for what?"

"Damage to property."

"Doctor, you can't be serious. You'll be disintegrated! And we don't even know if Celeste is still alive!" Rose cried out.

"Shush, Rose. Damage to property? Like this?" He aimed his sonic screwdriver at a camera and it exploded.

* * *

"You are the weakest link. Goodbye!" Colleen screamed as she was vaporized by the android.

"Going to break! Two minutes on the clock. Just a reminder we've got solar flare activity coming up in ten. Thanks, everyone!" the woman with the headset yelled.

Celeste's hands shook as she rubbed her forehead. Even though she knew the people weren't exactly being vaporized on the spot, merely transported, it didn't make it any easier to watch. She glanced over at Rodrick and she was disgusted by the subtle smirk he had on his face. She licked her lips and tried to swallow past her dry throat.

"Why'd you vote for Colleen?" she asked him softly.

"Because I want to keep you in. You're stupid! You don't even know the Princess Vossaheen's surname. When it comes to the final, I want to be up against you, so that you get disintegrated and I get a stack load of credits courtesy of the Bad Wolf Corporation."

"Bad Wolf. Two words, a message sent across the universe," Celeste whispered softly to herself.

"What're you going on about?"

"Bad Wolf is in charge of this quiz and I'm not here by mistake. I just hope that everything else continues as it should."

* * *

"The Doctor, you've broken the House Rules. Big Brother has no choice but to evict you. You have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you!"

The Doctor grinned, "That's more like it! Come on, then. Open up!"

"Doctor! This isn't funny!" Rose shouted.

"You're mad! It's like you want to die," Lynda said, horrified.

"I reckon he's a plant. He was only brought in to stir things up," Strood said with his arms crossed.

"The Doctor, please leave the Big Brother house."

He ran into the corridor and Rose stopped at the door. He gestured to her, "Come along, Rose. We'll be fine."

Rose bit her lip before slipping into the hallway as well, "I swear, if I die, I'll be furious with you."

He grinned and looked up at the monitor. "Come on then, disintegrate me! Come on, what're you waiting for?"

"Eviction in five, four, three, two, one." There was a moment of silence and then the machine shut down. The Doctor practically danced in glee.

"Ah ha! I knew it! You see, someone brought me into this game. If they'd wanted me dead, they could've transmatted me into a volcano!"

Rose breathed a sigh of relief, "You totally guessed that, didn't you?"

He threw her a smirk and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and opened the other door. He looked back at the other door where Lynda was staring at them in awe.

"Come with me," the Doctor told her softly. Rose looked at him sharply and let out an annoyed huff.

Lynda shook her head. "No, I can't. I can't."

"Stay in there, you've got a fifty fifty chance of disintegration. Stay with me, I promise I'll get you out alive. Come on!"

Lynda looked between him and Strood in indecision.

"Lynda, you're sweet. From what I've seen of your world, do you think anyone votes for sweet?"

He held out his hand and she stared at it for a moment before she grabbed it. The three of them ran out the door and into a dark corridor. Rose came to a sudden halt and her jaw dropped.

"Doctor…"

"Hold on. We've been here before. This is Satellite Five. No guards. That makes a change. You'd think a big business like Satellite Five would be armed to the teeth."

He pushed open another door and they all rushed through.

"No one's called it Satellite Five in ages. It's the Game Station now. Hasn't been Satellite Five in about a hundred years," Lynda said nonchalantly.

"A hundred years exactly. It's the year two zero zero one zero zero. I was here before, well, Rose was too. Floor one three nine. The Satellite was broadcasting news channels back then. Had a bit of trouble upstairs. Nothing too serious. Easy. Gave them a hand, home in time for tea."

"A hundred years ago? What, you were here a hundred years ago?"

"Yeah, it was quite the experience," Rose said dryly.

"You're looking food on it," Lynda said with a smile.

"I moisturize," the Doctor said offhand. He messed with a panel and looked at some of the output information. "Funny sorts of readings. All kinds of energy. The place is humming. It's weird. This goes way beyond normal transmissions. What would they need all that power for?"

Lynda shrugged. "I don't know. I think we're the first ever contestants to get outside."

"I had two other friends travelling with me. They must've got caught in the same transmat. Where would they be?" The Doctor asked her, still looking at the panel.

"I don't know. They could've been allocated anywhere. There's a hundred different games."

"What kind of games?" Rose asked curiously.

Lynda tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, there's ten floors of Big Brother. There's a different house behind each of those doors. And then beyond that, there's all sorts of shows. It's nonstop. There's Call My Bluff, with real guns. Countdown, where you've got thirty seconds to stop the bomb going off. Ground Force, which is a nasty one. You get turned into compost. Um, Wipeout, speaks for itself. Oh, and Stars In Their Eyes. Literally, stars in their eyes. If you don't sing, you get blinded."

"That is disgusting. And you watch this stuff?" Rose cried out in disgust.

Lynda shrugged, unfazed by her reaction. "Everyone does. How come you two don't?"

"Never paid for my license," the Doctor said humorlessly.

Lynda gaped at him. "Oh, my god! You get executed for that!"

The Doctor snorted as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver, using it against another panel. Rose was leaning against a wall since she could barely stomach what Lynda had said.

"Let them try," the Doctor bit out.

"You keep saying things that don't make sense. Who are you though, Doctor, really?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Well it does to me. I've just put my life in your hands."

Rose let out a dry laugh, "You won't get an answer. I suggest you stop trying."

Lynda threw her an annoyed look before looking at the Doctor again, her eyes pleading.

"I'm just a traveller, wandering past. Believe it or not, all I'm after is a quiet life," he said softly. He sighed as his thoughts turned, not for the first time, towards Celeste. A quiet life was something he'd never thought he could have until she made him want it, whether she was aware of it or not. He turned his attention back to Lynda and Rose because thinking of her made him want to rip the entire station apart with his bare hands.

"So, if we get out of here, what're you going to do? Just wander off again?"

"Fast as I can."

Lynda chewed on the inside of her cheek, "So, I could come with you?"

Rose looked at the Doctor sharply and barely bit back her own negative answer. The Doctor only shrugged. "Maybe you could."

"I wouldn't get in the way," Lynda said hurriedly.

"I wouldn't mind if you did. Not a bad idea, Lynda with a Y. But first of all, we've got to concentrate on getting out. And to do that, you've got to know your enemy. Who's controlling it. Who's in charge of the satellite now?"

Lynda looked around, "Hold on." She spotted what she was looking for and walked over to it. With a push, she turned on the lights in the corridor. The words 'Bad Wolf Corporation' were written on the wall. The Doctor stared at the words as if he'd been struck by lightning. Rose shook her head in disbelief.

"What the hell?"

Lynda gestured to the logo. "Your lords and masters."

* * *

Celeste winced as Agorax was disintegrated, leaving only her and Rodrick left in the game. Rodrick looked at her triumphantly.

"That's the last of the strategic voting. You're on your own now."

She swallowed and then sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

* * *

The Doctor, Rose and Lynda had made their way to the observation deck. They stared out at the Earth which looked completely different than it had a hundred years ago.

"Blimey! I've never seen it for real before. Not from orbit. Planet Earth," Lynda said in awe. She looked at the planet with pure excitement.

"What's happened to it?" The Doctor asked softly.

"Well, it's always been like that. Ever since I was born. See that there?" She pointed to a large dark spot. "That's the Great Atlantic Smog Storm. It's been going on twenty years. We get newsflashes telling us when it's safe to breath outside."

"So the population just sits there? Half the world's too fat and half the world's too thin, and you lot just watch telly?"

"Ten thousand channels, all beaming down from here."

"The Human Race. Brainless sheep being fed on a diet of… Mind you, have they still got that program where three people have to live with a bear?"

"Oh, Bear With Me! I love that one!"

"And me. The celebrity edition where the bear got in the bath."

"Got in the bath!" Lynda laughed. Rose sighed in frustration.

"Doctor, focus."

"Right. But it's all gone wrong. I mean, history's gone wrong again. This should be the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. I don't understand. Last time I was here I put it right."

Lynda frowned, "No, but that's when it first went wrong. A hundred years ago, like you said. All the news channels, they just shut down overnight."

"But that was me, I did that."

"There was nothing left in their place. No information. The whole planet just froze. The government, the economy, they collapsed. That was the start of it. One hundred years of hell."

The Doctor and Rose both turned and looked at the Earth sadly.

"Oh, my. I made this world," he whispered brokenly. They all turned at the sound of the lift opening and Jack burst out.

"Hey, handsome. Good to see you. You too, Rose. Any sign of Celeste?"

The Doctor frowned at him, "Can't you track her down?"

Jack shrugged helplessly, "She must still be inside the games. All the rooms are shielded."

"If I can just get inside this computer. She's got to be here somewhere," the Doctor said as he started working on a console. He started typing in codes and running his screwdriver over the console.

"Well, you'd better hurry up. These games don't have a happy ending."

"Do you think I don't know that?" The Doctor snapped out. Jack tore off the device on his wrist and handed it to the Doctor.

"Here, patch that in. It's programmed to find her."

The Doctor took it gratefully, "Thanks." He turned back to the console and continued to work as swiftly as he could.

* * *

Celeste felt the blood drain from her face as the last question for the show came her way.

"Celeste, in history, which Icelandic city hosted Murder Spree Twenty?"

She swallowed and closed her eyes as she gave the incorrect answer. "Reykjavik?"

"No, the correct answer is Pola Ventura."

Rodrick started to laugh hysterically. "Oh, my god! I've done it! You've lost!"

Celeste chewed her bottom lip and threw him a mildly annoyed look. She looked into the darkness of the studio and then at the android. "I've got to find the Doctor, he's here somewhere."

"Rodrick, you are the strongest link, you will be transported home with one thousand six hundred credits."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much!" Rodrick cried out. Celeste narrowed her eyes at him and then took a small step away from the lectern.

"I'm not going to stay here and let you transmat me," she muttered. The doors in the back burst open and her eyes shot to the Doctor's. She threw herself around the android and ran towards him and the others.

"Celeste! Stop this game!" the Doctor roared as he ran into the room.

"Celeste, you leave this life with nothing."

"Yeah yeah, shove it you stupid cow," Celeste shouted over her shoulder.

"Stop this game!" Jack yelled, waving his arms.

"I order you to stop this game!"

"You are the weakest link."

"Doctor! I believe in you! Find me!" Celeste yelled at him. His eyes widened in horror as she suddenly halted and smiled at him sadly. She closed her eyes and the android shot her, leaving nothing but a pile of dust. Jack came to an abrupt halt and Rose covered her mouth in shock.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Jack screamed in rage.

The Doctor fell to his knees, his hearts thundering in his ears as everything else faded into the background. He reached out and gently touched the ashes to convince himself that maybe it wasn't real. Memories of her happy smile and laughing green eyes flit through his mind, taunting him. He didn't register the hands that grabbed him and hauled him up.

"Don't touch him! Leave him alone!" Jack shouted as guards took him as well. Rose and Lynda both struggled against the men that held them but the Doctor didn't. He merely stared at where Celeste had been.

"You killed her! Your stupid freaking game show killed her!" Jack shouted again, still struggling.

They were all taken out of the room, the Doctor's eyes not leaving that spot until he was forcibly removed from the room.

* * *

A guard tapped the sonic screwdriver on a table and looked at the Doctor. "Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir? Can you tell us how you got on board?"

The Doctor stared at nothing, his eyes devoid of emotion. Lynda glared at the guard.

"Just leave him alone!"

The guard sneered at Lynda. "I'm asking him." He turned back to the Doctor and waved the screwdriver in his face. "Sir? Can you tell us who you are?"

Rose tapped her foot on the floor anxiously. "Can we please just get this over with?" She snapped out. Jack threw a small glare at her and looked at the Doctor worriedly.

"You will be taken from this place to the Lunar Penal Colony, there to be held without trial. You may not appeal against this sentence. Is that understood?" The guard looked at each of them in turn but hastily moved his gaze away from the Doctor, whose eyes had turned deadly over the past several minutes. The second guard went to unlock the cell and the Doctor looked over at Jack, who nodded.

"Let's do it," the Doctor muttered. Jack leapt towards the guards and hit the first one, knocking him out cold. The Doctor quickly subdued the other and threw the defabricator to Jack while also retrieving his sonic screwdriver. Lynda took one of the guard's guns while passing the other to Rose, who took it gingerly.

The Doctor rushed to the lift and opened it quickly, everyone filed in after him. Rose looked at him discreetly, her heart still pounding from the past several events that had happened. Celeste was gone. Truly gone. She finally had the opportunity to get the Doctor to notice her. She hadn't felt this giddy in a while. The lift stopped and the doors opened on floor five hundred.

Jack stormed in holding the gun out at the room's occupants. "Okay, move away from the desk. Nobody try anything clever. Everybody clear. Stand to the side and stay there."

"Who's in charge of this place?" The Doctor asked, his tone flat.

The other occupants looked at the floor and remained silent.

"This Satellite's more than a game station," the Doctor continued as he started to approach the woman who was muttering numbers, attached to multiple wires. "Who killed Celeste Smith?" One of the women by the wall flinched at his tone but said nothing. "I want an answer!"

"She can't reply! Don't shoot!" A woman finally cried out.

"Oh, don't be so thick. Like I was ever going to shoot," the Doctor said sarcastically as he tossed the weapon at her. His eyes shifted to Jack, "Captain, we've got more guards on the way up. Secure the exits."

"Yes, sir," Jack said, quickly going to a console to enter in some commands codes. Lynda and Rose relaxed their guard on the game station controllers a bit.

The Doctor looked at the woman he had thrown his gun to. "You. What were you saying?"

She looked at him in confusion, "But I've got your gun."

"Okay, so shoot me. Why can't she answer?"

"She's, um. Can I put this down?" She asked, motioning to the gun. The Doctor waved a hand dismissively.

"If you want. Just hurry up."

"Thanks. Sorry," she said quickly, placing the gun on a nearby table. "Um, the Controller is linked to the transmissions. The entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff so she doesn't recognize your existence."

"What's her name?"

The woman shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. She was installed when she was five years old. That's the only life she's ever known."

Jack walked over to the Doctor. "Door's sealed. We should be safe for about ten minutes."

The Doctor nodded to him and looked over at Lynda and Rose. "Keep an eye on them," he said, gesturing to the people against the wall. Both women nodded and stepped in front of them.

"But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the game station. I think you're right. I've kept a log. Unauthorized transmats, encrypted signals, it's been going on for years," the woman said swiftly.

"Show me," the Doctor said firmly. She dashed over to a console and pulled up some information. Meanwhile, Jack was at a door labeled Archive Six.

"You're not allowed in there. Archive Six is out of bounds," a woman by the wall told Jack.

Jack scowled, "Do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?" He managed to get the door opened and he walked into the TARDIS.

The woman at the wall turned towards Rose, "If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and les us out. The staff are terrified."

Rose snorted, "You mean the same people who watch people get killed every day? No way."

"That's not our fault! We're just doing our jobs!" The woman cried out.

"And with that sentence you just lost the right to even talk to me. Now back off!" the Doctor snarled. She curled in on herself and whimpered softly. Rose smirked at her. The lights suddenly dimmed on the station.

"That's just the solar flares. They interfere with the broadcast signal, so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal."

The woman hooked into the wires spoke again, "Doctor."

"Whatever it is, you can wait," the Doctor said as he continued to read information on a console.

The woman next to him tugged his coat, "I think she wants you."

His head jerked towards the woman and he walked around the console closer to her.

"Doctor? Doctor? Where's the Doctor?"

"I'm here," he said softly.

"Can't see. I'm blind. So blind. All my life, blind. All I can see is numbers, but I saw you."

"What do you want?"

"Solar flares hiding me. They can't hear me. My masters, they always listen but they can't hear me now the sun, the sun is so bright."

"Who are your masters?"

"They wired my head. The name's forbidden. They control my thoughts. My masters. My masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmissions but they don't watch the programs. I could hide you inside the games. Knew that you would find me."

"My friend died inside your games."

"Doesn't matter."

"Don't you dare tell me that!" He shouted, voice anguished.

"They've been hiding. My masters hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth so, so, so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity, hundreds and hundreds of years."

"Who are they?"

"They wait and plan and grow in numbers. They're strong now. So strong, my masters."

"Who are they?"

"But speak of you, my masters, they fear the Doctor."

"Tell me, who are they?!"

The power turned back on and the Controller reverted back to her previous state, muttering numbers. The Doctor grit his teeth and turned back to the woman in charge. "When's the next solar flare?"

"Two years time," she said softly.

"Fat lot of good that is."

Jack ran out of Archive Six slightly out of breath and looking very excited. "Found the TARDIS!" He said happily.

"We're not leaving now," the Doctor snapped. Jack waved his hands and gestured Lynda over.

"No, but the TARDIS worked it out. You'll want to watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me please?"

Lynda sighed and walked to the spot he indicated. "I just want to go home."

"It'll only take a second. Could you stand in that spot, quick as you can. Everybody watching? Okay! Three, two, one." He pressed a button and a beam of light shot down, encasing Lynda for a moment before she vanished in a whisp of smoke.

Rose's jaw dropped, "But you just killed her! Jack! How could you?!"

Jack smirked, his eyes dancing in joy, "Oh, do you think?" He pressed another button and a second beam of light brought Lynda back. The Doctor's eyes widened and his hearts started pounding in his chest.

"The hell was that?" Lynda muttered, swaying on her feet.

Jack grinned at the Doctor, "It's a transmat beam! Not a disintegrator, a secondary transmat system. People don't get killed in the games, they get transported across space. Doctor, Celeste is still alive!"

The Doctor's head spun for a moment before his hearts burst into relieved joy. The words she had shouted to him just before she'd been transported came to mind and he snorted softly. "When am I going to actually listen to the messages she gives me?" He shook his head lightly and Jack grabbed him, hugging him fiercely.

* * *

Celeste's eyes opened slowly as her mind came back to consciousness. She slowly pushed herself up from the ground and sat back against the wall. The familiar sight of the Dalek made her breath catch in her throat. A fully functioning Dalek was definitely terrifying.

"Still alive, huh? Persistent buggers, aren't you?" she said. The Dalek turned it's eye towards her as well as the laser on its body. She stiffened but glared at it defiantly. She watched a few more Daleks roll into the room out of the corner of her eye.

"Alert. Alert. We are detected!" One of the Daleks said suddenly. Celeste hid a smile as she watched the Daleks panic, not that they would ever admit that's what they were doing.

"It is the Doctor. He has located us. Open communications channel!"

One of the Daleks turned to her and waved the laser at her threateningly. "The female will stand. Stand!"

She slowly stood, brushing off her skirt as she did so. She felt surprisingly calm given the circumstances.

A large screen came on showing floor 500 on the game station. The Dalek in front spoke up first. "I will talk to the Doctor."

The Doctor stood front and center on the screen. "Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello!"

"The Dalek stratagem nears completion. The fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene!"

The Doctor looked curious. "Oh, really? Why's that, then?"

"We have your associate! You will obey or she will be exterminated."

The Doctor looked at the screen and his eyes met Celeste's. She gave him a small smile and nodded. His eyes warmed with pride as he turned his attention back to the Daleks.

"No."

If the Dalek had the ability to express itself, its jaw probably would have dropped. "Explain yourself!"

"I said no."

"What is the meaning of this negative?"

"It means no," the Doctor said, bored.

"But she will be destroyed!"

"No! Because this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to rescue her. I'm going to save Celeste Smith from the middle of the Dalek fleet. And then I'm going to save the Earth, and then, just to finish off, I'm going to wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!"

"But you have no weapons, no defenses, no plan."

"Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death. Celeste?"

Celeste smiled warmly at him. "Yes, Doctor?"

"I'm coming to get you." She winked at him just as the transmission cut off. She watched in amusement as the Daleks started throwing around commands.

"The Doctor is initiating hostile action."

"The stratagem must advance. Begin the invasion of Earth!"

"The Doctor will be exterminated!"

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Celeste barely contained her eye roll as the Daleks scurried about. All she had to do now, was wait because the Doctor was coming for her. He always would.


	13. The Parting of Ways

I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe, just Celeste.

AN: I think I'm going to have a heart attack that's how I excited I am for this. I honestly don't even care if you guys are as excited as I am. I just have to get typing. GAH.

Celeste continued to watch as the Daleks organized themselves to prepare for the invasion and the Doctor. One of the Daleks approached her and she looked at it cautiously.

"You know the Doctor. You understand him. You will predict his actions!"

She shrugged and suppressed her growing smile. "I don't know. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you anything."

"Predict! Predict! Predict!"

"TARDIS detected in flight!"

"Launch missiles. Exterminate!"

"An effort in futility. That won't work you know. You can't stop him. You took me, that was your first mistake," Celeste said confidently.

"You have predicted incorrectly!"

Celeste merely smiled.

Jack and the Doctor were piloting the TARDIS while Rose clung to a railing.

"We've got incoming!" Jack yelled. The Doctor smirked as they all clung to various parts of the TARDIS. The missiles struck and the explosion rocked the TARDIS violently. Jack grinned after the shock wore off.

"The extrapolator's working. We've got a fully functional forcefield. Try saying that when you're drunk."

The Doctor chuckled and pulled another lever. "And for my next trick!"

Celeste chuckled as the TARDIS appeared around her and the Dalek that had been guarding her.

"Celeste, get down!" The Doctor shouted. She ducked her head as the Dalek fired over her. Jack shot at it with the modified defabricator, destroying it. Celeste slowly stood up and laughed.

"You did it," she said cheerfully. The Doctor grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"You need to stop disappearing on me," he whispered to her.

"And you need to stop taking so long to rescue me," she whispered back. The Doctor chuckled and let her go slowly. He left his hands around her waist as if he was worried she would disappear again. Rose felt her anger flare. Just when she thought everything would work out, _she_ just had to show up again.

"I told you I'd come and get you," the Doctor said cheerfully. Celeste smiled up at him.

"I knew you would. Never doubted you."

He grew solemn. "I did. You all right?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Not bad, been better." She looked at him fondly. Jack strode up to them and pouted.

"Hey, don't I get a hug?"

Celeste laughed at his pout. "Of course you get a hug."

"I was talking to him." Celeste rolled her eyes and hugged Jack. He kissed the top of her head and pulled away.

"Welcome home, little one."

She smiled at the nickname. "I thought you'd be exterminated."

"Oh, you were lucky. That was just a one shot wonder. Drained the gun of all its power supply. Now it's just a piece of junk," Jack said as he tossed the gun over his shoulder. Celeste shook her head at him. She looked over at Rose and gave her a small smile.

"Hello Rose."

Rose nodded. "Celeste," she said flatly. Celeste held back the flinch at Rose's greeting. Rose turned to the Doctor.

"You said they were extinct. How come they're still alive?"

"One minute they're the greatest threat in the universe, the next minute they vanished out of time and space," Jack pointed out.

"They went off to fight a bigger war. The Time War," the Doctor said grimly. Jack looked at him in shock.

"I thought that was just a legend."

Celeste shook her head. "No, it was very real. And very sad." The Doctor looked at her tenderly.

"I was there. The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords, with the whole of creation at stake. My people were destroyed, but they took the Daleks with them. I almost thought it was worth it. Now it turns out they died for nothing," the Doctor said bitterly. Celeste reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"There are thousands of them now," Celeste murmured softly. 

"We could hardly stop one. What're we going to do?" Rose asked in frustration.

"No good standing round here, chin wagging. Human race, you'd gossip all day. The Daleks have got the answers. Let's go and meet the neighbors!" the Doctor said as he tugged Celeste towards the door. Celeste chuckled as she let him pull her out of the TARDIS.

"You can't go out there!" Rose screeched. Rose and Jack both stared out the door and could only hear the Daleks screaming in rage.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

The Dalek's weapons hit a forcefield, leaving the Doctor and Celeste unharmed. The Doctor snorted in derision.

"Is that it? Useless! Nul points." He turned around and shouted at Jack and Rose. "It's all right, come on out. That forcefield can hold back anything."

Jack sauntered out followed by Rose. "Almost anything," Jack said dryly.

"Yes, but I wasn't going to tell them that. Thanks," the Doctor muttered sarcastically.

Jack smiled, "Sorry."

The Doctor turned and stared at the Daleks. Celeste stood next to him silently.

"Do you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek Homeworld? The Oncoming Storm. You might've removed all your emotions but I reckon right down deep in your DNA, there's one little spark left, and that's fear. Doesn't it just burn when you face me? So tell me. How did you survive the Time War?"

There was complete silence for several moments. Then, a voice rumbled from the deep part of the ship.

"They survived through me."

A large apparatus was lit up a Dalek armor that had previously exploded. Inside was a blue-skinned Dalek. The Doctor's eyes darkened as he realized who it was.

"Celeste, Rose, Captain, this is the Emperor of the Daleks.

"You destroyed us, Doctor. The Dalek race died in your inferno, but my ship survived, falling through time, crippled but alive," the Emperor croaked out.

"I get it," the Doctor snapped.

"Do not interrupt!"

"Do not interrupt!"

"Do not interrupt!" Three Daleks all cried out. Celeste rolled her eyes at them.

"I think you're forgetting something. I'm the Doctor, and if there's one thing I can do, it's talk. I've got five billion languages, and you haven't got one way of stopping me. So if anybody's going to shut up, it's you! Okie doke. So, where were we?"

Celeste pressed her lips together to prevent her laughter from escaping. The Doctor squeezed her hand gently as a silent command to keep quiet.

"We waited here in the dark space, damaged but rebuilding. Centuries passed, and we quietly infiltrated the systems of Earth, harvesting the waste of humanity. The prisoners, the refugees, the dispossessed. They all came to us. The bodies were filtered, pulped, sifted. The seed of the human race is perverted. Only one cell in a billion was fit to be nurtured."

"So you created an army of Daleks out of the dead."

"That makes them half human," Celeste said.

"Those words are blasphemy!" the Emperor spat.

"Do not blaspheme. Do not blaspheme. Do not blaspheme!" The Daleks chanted.

"Everything human has been purged. I cultivated pure and blessed Dalek," the Emperor sneered.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Since when did the Daleks have a concept of blasphemy?"

"I reached into the dirt and made new life. I am the God of the Daleks!" The Emperor roared.

"Worship him! Worship him! Worship him!"

"They're insane. Hiding in silence for hundreds of years, that's enough to drive anyone mad. But it's worse than that. Driven mad by your own flesh. The stink of humanity. You hate your own existence. And that makes them more deadly than ever. We're going," the Doctor said. He tugged Celeste back towards the TARDIS as Jack and Rose also made their way back inside.

"You may not leave my presence!"

"Stay where you are!"

"Exterminate!"

They ignored the Daleks as they started shooting and the TARDIS door closed softly.

The TARDIS reappeared in Satellite Five and the Doctor burst from the blue doors. "Turn everything up. All transmitters full power, wide open. Now! Do it!" He shouted.

"What does this do?" asked the woman in charge as she pushed some buttons on a nearby console.

"Stops the Daleks from transmatting on board. How did you get on? Did you contact Earth?"

"Well, we tried to warn them, but all they did was suspend our license because we stopped the the programs."

"And the planet's just sitting there, defenseless. Lynda, what're you still doing on board? I tol dyou to evacuate everyone."

"She wouldn't go."

"Did want to leave you," Lynda said with a shrug.

"There weren't enough shuttles anyway, or I wouldn't be here. We've got about a hundred people stranded on Floor Zero," another woman said.

The woman in charge gasped. "Oh, my god. The Fleet is moving. They're on their way."

The Doctor flew to a conduit and started pulling out wires. "Dalek plan. Big mistake, because what have they left me with? Anyone? Anyone?"

"A giant transmitter," Celeste said cheerfully.

"Exactly! Thank you, Celeste. Now, if I can change the signal, fold it back, sequence it, anyone?"

"You've got to be kidding," Jack muttered.

"Give the man a medal!"

"A Delta Wave?" Jack asked incredulously.

"A Delta Wave!"

"What's a Delta Wave?" Rose asked.

"A wave of Van Cassadyne energy. It fries your brain. Stand in the way of a Delta Wave and your head gets barbequed," Jack said dryly.

"And this place can transmit a massive wave. Wipe out the Daleks!"

"Well, get started and do it then," Lynda said, wringing her hands.

"Trouble is, wave this size, building this big, brain as clever as mine, should take about, oh, three days? How long until the Fleet arrives?"

"Twenty two minutes," the woman in charge said fearfully. The Doctor turned his attention back to the wires.

Jack exhaled and started gathering the few weapons they had in the control room. "We've not got a forcefield so they can't blast us out of the sky, but that doesn't stop the Daleks from physically invading."

"Do they know about the Delta Wave?" The woman in charge asked.

"They'll have worked it out at the same time. So, they want to stop the Doctor. That means they've got to get to this level, five hundred. Now, I can concentrate the extrapolator around the top six levels, five hundred to four nine five. So they'll penetrate the station below that at level four nine four and fight their way up."

"Who are they fighting?"

Jack looked at her grimly, "Us."

"And what are we fighting with?"

"The guards had guns with bastic bullets. That's enough to blow a Dalek wide open."

"There's six of us."

"Rose, Celeste, you two stay and help me. I need all these wires stripped bare," the Doctor said from the floor. Celeste grabbed a few wires and started stripping them silently.

"Right, now there's four of us."

"Then let's move it. Into the lift. Isolate the lift controls." The woman and her colleague rushed towards the lift. Lynda glanced over at the Doctor sadly.

"I just want to say, er, thanks, I suppose, and I'll do my best."

The Doctor smiled at her, "Me too." They shook hands and Lynda walked towards the lift. Jack looked at the three of them and tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace.

"It's been fun, but I guess this is goodbye."

"Don't talk like that. The Doctor's going to do it. You just watch him," Rose whispered. Celeste looked at Jack sadly as he approached her.

"You are worth fighting for," he told her softly. She smiled and he gave her a gentle kiss. He turned and kissed Rose gently on the forehead, "Bye kid." Tears fell down Rose's cheeks as Jack turned towards the Doctor. "Wish I'd never met you, Doctor. I was much better off as a coward." He kissed the Doctor and looked at them all with a grin. "See you in hell."

Celeste touched her lips as she watched him leave. "He's going to be all right, isn't he?" Rose asked tearfully.

Celeste and the Doctor worked side by side on several wires. He glanced over at Rose who was far enough away to not hear him whisper to Celeste. "You know, what I have to do, don't you?"

Celeste nodded her head and gave him a sad smile. "I won't try to stop you."

"Why? We could leave everything, just get in the TARDIS and go. Why wouldn't you want to avoid what I'm going to do?"

She picked up another wire as she answered. "Because you're a good man. You'd never let the Daleks kill these people."

"And it never occurred to you to." Celeste shrugged lightly.

"I told you before, I won't run away. I'd rather face it head on." A beeping started on a nearby console and the three of them looked up at it.

"The Delta Wave's started building. How long does it need?" The Doctor muttered. They rush over to the console and look at it curiously.

"Is that bad? Okay, it's bad. How bad is it?" Rose asked worriedly. The Doctor looked over at Celeste whose green eyes reflected her quiet acceptance. He looked back at Rose, "If I use the TARDIS to cross my old timeline, we can do it. Yes!"

He rushed into the TARDIS followed closely by Rose. Celeste followed more slowly, pausing at the door for a brief moment. He gestured to a lever and spoke to Rose, "Hold that down and keep position." Rose grabbed the lever and looked at him, eyebrows furrowed.

"What's it do?"

"Cancels the buffers. If I'm very clever and I'm more than clever, I'm brilliant, I might just save the world. Or rip it apart."

"I'd go for the first one," Rose said dryly. She glanced up at the monitor and read the information it displayed.

"Me too. Now, I've just got to go and power up the Game Station. Hold on!" He rushed to the door and stopped in front of Celeste. She reached up and brushed her hand against his cheek, tears in her eyes. He kissed her forehead gently and nudged her inside the TARDIS, leaving quietly. She watched him pull out his screwdriver and point it at the TARDIS, starting the engines. The door closed and Celeste grabbed the handle, tugging at it.

"Doctor, what're you doing? Can I take my hand off? It's moving!" Rose shouted. She glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened as she saw Celeste tug at the door. She let go of the lever and ran to the door, pounding on it with her hands.

"Doctor, let me out! Doctor, what've you done?"

Celeste backed away from the door and turned around just as the hologram of the Doctor appeared.

"This is Emergency Program One. Celeste, Rose, now listen. This is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing. We must be in danger and I mean fatal. I'm dead or about to die any second with no chance of escape."

"No!" Rose shouted. Celeste closed her eyes.

"And that's okay. Hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after both of you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you home."

Rose started to sob, "I won't let you!"

"And I bet you're fussing and moaning now, Rose. Typical. But hold on and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me. Emergency Program One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you both should do. Let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it. No one'll even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years, the world'll move on and the box will be buried. And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing. Have a good life. Do that for me, Celeste. Have a fantastic life."

The hologram disappeared and Rose kicked the console in frustration. "You can't do this to me! You can't leave me! Take me back! Take me back!" She turns on Celeste who hadn't moved from her spot near the door. "You! Why didn't you stop him?! Why are you so useless?!" The engines stopped and Rose shoved past Celeste onto the street outside her home. She dashed back in a few seconds later. "Come on, fly. How do you fly? Come on, help me!" She pushed a few more buttons and finally hung her head in frustration. She stalked back out, ignoring Celeste.

Mickey came running around the corner and his face lit up. "I knew it! I was all the way down Clifton Parade, and I heard the engines. I thought, there's only one thing that makes a noise like that." He paused when he saw the look on Rose's face. "What is it?"

Rose threw herself at him, sobbing into his shoulder. He looked up at Celeste who was locking the TARDIS door. She met his eyes and shook her head. He hugged Rose tighter and whispered to her soothingly.

Jackie and Mickey ate their chicken quietly, looking between Celeste and Rose in concern. Rose was staring off into the distance while Celeste was tapping her fingers on her knee anxiously.

"And it's gone up market, this place. They're doing little tubs of coleslaw, now. It's not very nice. It tastes a bit sort of clinical," Jackie said with her mouth full.

"Have you tried that new pizza place down Minto Road?" Mickey asked her.

"What's it selling?"

"Pizza."

"That's nice. Do they deliver?"

"Yeah."

Jackie looked at Rose again. "Oh, Rose, Celeste, have something to eat will ya?"

Celeste smiled at Jackie, "No thanks, Jackie. I'm not hungry right now." She glanced over at Rose and chewed her lip at the desolation on Rose's face.

"Two hundred thousand years in the future, he's dying, and there's nothing I can do," Rose whispered softly.

"Well, like you said, two hundred thousand years. It's way off," Jackie said trying to get her to open up a bit.

"But it's not! It's now. That fight is happening right now, and he's fighting for us, for the whole planet, and I'm just sitting here eating chips," Rose snapped.

Jackie set her chicken down. "Listen to me. God knows I have hated that man, but right now, I love him and do you know why? Because he did the right thing. He sent you both back to me."

"But what do I do every day, mum? What do I do? Get up, catch the bus, go to work, come back home, eat chips and go to bed? Is that it?"

Celeste rolled her eyes and stood up, walking to the window to stare down the street.

"It's what the rest of us do," Mickey pointed out.

"But I can't!" Rose shouted.

"Why, because you're better than us?" Mickey asked sarcastically.

"No, I didn't mean that. But it was. It was a better life. And I don't mean all the travelling and seeing aliens and spaceships and things. That don't matter. The Doctor showed me a better way of living your life. You know he showed you too. That you don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away…" She stopped suddenly and glanced up Celeste, whose back was turned towards her. She swallowed thickly and got up, hurrying out the door.

Mickey, Rose and Celeste walked slowly down the street. Celeste glanced around and spotted the words Bad Wolf near the play area. She tore her gaze away and decided to let Rose try to figure it out.

"You can't spend the rest of your life thinking about the Doctor," Mickey told Rose.

"But how do I forget him?" Rose asked.

"You've got to start living your own life. You know, a proper life, like the kind he's never had. The sort of life that you could have with me."

Rose looked at the ground sadly before turning her eyes towards the words. She frowned, "Over here. These words…"

Mickey shrugged, "That's been there for years. It's just a phrase. It's just words."

"But what does it mean? I know I've seen them before…" Rose said, trailing off.

Celeste sighed, "It's a message. Written across time. It's here and it's in the future. It's telling us we can get back, that we can help him escape."

Rose looked at her in shock before running towards the TARDIS. Mickey and Celeste followed her inside.

"All the TARDIS needs to do is make a return trip. Just reverse," Rose said excitedly.

"Yeah, but we still can't do it."

"The Doctor always said the TARDIS was telepathic. This thing is alive. It can listen!"

Celeste ran her hand down along the railing and she felt the TARDIS brush against her mind affectionately. She smiled slightly and looked over at the console where she knew the Time Vortex was housed.

"It's not listening now, is it?" Mickey said skeptically.

"We need to get inside it. Last time I saw you, with the Slitheen, this middle bit opened, and there was this light, and the Doctor said it was the heart of the TARDIS. If we can open it, I can make contact. I can tell it what to do."

"Rose," Mickey said with a frown. Rose didn't glance at him as she hummed a response. He looked at her with troubled eyes. "If you go back, you're going to die."

"That's a risk I've got to take, because there's nothing left for me here."

Celeste flinched as she saw the hurt look on Mickey's face. "Nothing?" Mickey asked softly.

"No."

"Okay, if that's what you think. Let's get this thing open." They both rushed out of the TARDIS, Celeste momentarily forgotten.

Celeste stared at the console as she approached it slowly. "Okay, beautiful. What's it going to be? Am I going to have to pry you open or are you going to cooperate?"

The TARDIS hummed softly and the door clicked shut. She glanced at it in surprise and her head whipped back when she heard a hiss. Golden light spilled underneath a crack and Celeste swallowed nervously. "Last time I saw some golden light, I was taken from one universe to another. No crazy tricks this time, right?"

The TARDIS didn't respond but the hatch opened wider. Celeste let out a breath and stepped into the light. She gasped as she felt the power wrap around her body and mind. She could hear whispers and singing in her head and in that moment, she knew everything.

Rose and Mickey got back to the TARDIS just as it started to disappear. Rose screamed in anger and frustration as it vanished before their eyes.

"Doctor, you've got twenty seconds maximum!" Jack shouted between shots from the Daleks. His machine gun ran out of ammo and he threw it aside, pulling out the pistol. He fired at the Dalek until it too was empty.

"Exterminate!" The Dalek said.

Jack smiled grimly, "I kind of figured that." The Dalek fired at him and he was flung into the lift, unmoving.

The Doctor rushed around the control room. "It's ready!" He shouted just as several Daleks entered the room. He glared at them. "You really want to think about this, because if I activate the signal, every living creature dies."

The Emperor popped onto the viewscreen. "I am immortal."

The Doctor snorted, "Do you want to put that to the test?"

"Then prove yourself, Doctor. What are you, coward or killer?"

The Doctor grabbed the final switch firmly but couldn't push it. He smiled grimly, "Coward. Any day."

"Mankind will be harvested because of your weakness," the Emperor said triumphantly.

"And what about me? Am I becoming one of your angels?"

"You are the heathen! You will be exterminated!"

"Maybe it's time," he said softly. He closed his eyes, prepared for his fate when the sound of the TARDIS's engines could be heard. His eyes snapped open and he turned around to stare, slack jawed, as the TARDIS appeared.

"Alert! TARDIS materializing!" A Dalek cried out.

"You will not escape!" The Emperor roared.

The TARDIS's doors opened and Celeste stood there bathed in golden light. The energy spilled out and snaked around the TARDIS. The Doctor's look of shock turned to one of horror.

"What've you done?" he whispered.

Celeste looked at him with golden eyes. "I looked into the TARDIS and she looked into me."

"You looked into the Time Vortex! Celeste, no one's meant to see that!" The Doctor shouted.

"This is the Abomination!" The Emperor said angrily.

"Exterminate!" A Dalek shot at Celeste, who merely held out a hand to stop the beam. She glanced up at the lettering on the wall.

"I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words, and scatter them throughout time and space as a message." She waved her hands and the letters faded.

"Celeste, you've got to stop this. You've got to stop this now. You've got the entire vortex running through your head! You're going to burn!" The Doctor cried out fearfully.

"You have to be safe. The Doctor. My Doctor. Safe from the false god," Celeste murmured.

"You cannot hurt me! I am immortal!"

Celeste sneered at him. "You are tiny. I can see the whole of space and time. Every single atom of your existence and I divide them." She held out her hand and the Daleks slowly disintegrated into nothingness. "Everything must come to dust. All things. Everything dies. The Time War ends."

The spaceship that the Emperor was on vanished in a wave of golden light. Celeste let out a soft sigh as she last of the Daleks was disintegrated.

"Celeste, you've done it. Now stop. Just let it go," the Doctor pleaded.

"Not yet, I can't just yet. I must bring life," she murmured. She found Jack and focused on him. He gasped and flailed as he was brought back to life. She closed her eyes in sorrow and relief.

"But this is wrong! You can't control life and death!"

"Doctor, I see everything. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be. I see why she brought me here. I know my purpose." Celeste gasped and clutched her head. "My head," she whimpered.

The Doctor stood up and held out his arms. "Come here," he said gently.

"It's killing me, it burns," she gasped. She looked up at him with burning gold eyes. She cupped her face and brushed her cheeks gently to wipe away her tears.

"I think you need a Doctor," he said. He leaned down and gently kissed her. She relaxed against him as the energy of the Time Vortex left her eyes and entered his. Once the transfer was complete, she collapsed into his arms. He gently lifted her up and carried her into the TARDIS. He breathed the energy back into the TARDIS and the doors closed. He set her down gently and went back to the console to set the coordinates.

Celeste woke up a few moments later. She pushed herself up and looked around the TARDIS in confusion. "What happened?"

The Doctor glanced at her from where he was working. "Don't you remember?"

She closed her eyes and frowned. "There was whispering and singing in my head. I remember golden light." Her eyes flew open and she looked at the Doctor who was grimacing in pain. "Oh god. Doctor, I'm so sorry."

The Doctor smiled at her fondly. "Celeste Smith. I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona. Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona. You'd love it. Fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses. Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, and it's still funny."

Tears gathered in her eyes and spilled out as she blinked. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about your regeneration. I just, knew I had to do something." She took a step towards him as he doubled over in pain.

"Stay away! You know what's happening. Every cell in my body's dying."

She nodded and watched him sadly. She wiped away her tears and sniffed. "I'll see you again in a moment, yeah?"

He grinned at her through the pain. "Before I go, I just want to tell you one thing. You were fantastic. Beautifully fantastic. And you know what? So was I."

His back arched and gold light burst from his body. Celeste raised her hand in front of her eyes to prevent the light from blinding her. After a few seconds the light died and the Doctor stood there in oversized clothes, swaying slightly. He looked over at Celeste and his eyes lit up.

"Hello! Okay, Oooh, new teeth. That's weird. So, where was I? Oh, that's right! Barcelona!" He threw her a grin before throwing a lever on the console. Celeste took in his appearance and shook her head in amusement. The Doctor checked the monitor.

"6PM… Tuesday… October… 5006. On the way to Barcelona!" He straightened up and held his arms out to the side. "Now then, what do I look like?"

Celeste raised an eyebrow at him. He waved his hands quickly to stop her from answer. "No, no no, no no no no no no no. No. Don't tell me."

Celeste smiled and crossed her arms as she watched him check himself out.

"Let's see. Two legs, two arms, two hands… Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle…" His hands flew up to his head and he let out a laugh filled with delight. "Hair! I'm not bald!"

Celeste chuckled and continued to watch him in amusement as he felt along the sides of his face.

"Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin. Little bit thinner," he said as he smacked his stomach. "That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it." He let out a gasp and rolled his shoulders. "I've got a mole. I can feel it! Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole. That's all right. Love a mole." He stops his own assessment and looked at Celeste expectantly. "What do you think?"

Celeste pressed her lips together and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, your hair is completely crazy." She started to circle him, still looking thoughtful. "You definitely need to change clothes, those do nothing for you." She stopped in front of him and flicked his ear, causing him to yelp and rub it with a pout. "You look fine, goof. And no, you're not ginger."

The Doctor deflated, "You're not nice. I remember you being nice. Did you get replaced while I was regenerating?" He poked her forehead and she swiped as his hand. "Nope, still human it seems."

She crossed her arms, "What, do you want me to leave now because I teased you?"

He looked at her in alarm, "Do you want to leave?"

"Of course not. I told you before that I'd never leave you. I knew you were going to change, I just feel bad that I was the cause of it."

The alarmed look left his eyes slowly and he looked at her softly. "It was worth it."

She smiled and nudged him gently towards the console. "Barcelona will have to wait, Doctor. Let's try London, Powell Estate, December 24th."

He smiled at her and entered the coordinates. The TARDIS shuddered at the changes of directions. The Doctor danced around the console back towards her but stopped suddenly as he gagged. The TARDIS shook a bit harder at the same moment.

Celeste gasped, "Damnit, I almost forgot this part. Doctor, you need to get the TARDIS to London, now. The energy leftover from the Time Vortex is still in your system."

He groaned and retched again. He shakily pushed a lever on the console and the TARDIS jerked violently, nearly sending them both to the floor.

"Gotta put on some more speed!" The Doctor said, his eyes wild. He turned a few knobs and shouted at the TARDIS. "My beautiful ship! Come on, faster! That's a girl!"

Celeste grit her teeth and clung to the console. "Doctor! This is not the best way to show me a good time!"

The Doctor laughed crazily and danced around the console. A bell started ringing and Celeste looked up in horror. "Oh god, we're going to crash!"

"Out of control! Oh, I love it. Hot dog!" The Doctor shouted with an excited hop. His eyes meet Celeste's and they stared at each other for a moment. "Hold on tight, here we go! Christmas Eve!" They both clung to the TARDIS for dear life as she crashed into several flats before crashing into some garbage bins.

The Doctor threw open the door. "Here we are then, London. Earth. The Solar System. We did it!" He looked up and saw Jackie, Mickey and Rose staring at him. "Jackie! Mickey! Rose! Blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait here. I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you., something important. What was it? No, hold on, hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush. Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!" He smiled at them and collapsed on the pavement.

Celeste came out and slapped her forehead, "Honestly! Couldn't you wait one minute?" She hurried up to him and checked him over.

"Who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Rose asked angrily.

Celeste didn't look up from him as she checked his pulse, "This is him, right in front of you. This is the Doctor."

"What?!" Rose screeched.

Jackie looked confused. "What do you mean, that's the Doctor? Doctor who?"

Celeste looked up at them and sighed heavily. This was not going to be pretty.


	14. The Christmas Invasion

I own nothing from the Doctor Who universe, only Celeste.

AN: Oh thank god that last chapter is over! I have so much planned for Ten, so many little occurrences with Celeste and Ten. I'm just gonna shut up and type.

* * *

Celeste tucked the blanket in around the Doctor. They had managed to get him up into the Tyler's flat and into bed. Rose was glaring at her from the other side of the bed but she ignored her for now. Jackie came into the room holding a stethoscope.

"Here we go. Tina the cleaner's got this lodger, a medical student, and she was fast asleep, so I just took it. Though I still say we should take him to the hospital," Jackie said holding the stethoscope out to Celeste who took it gratefully.

"We can't take him to a hospital. They'd lock him up and dissect him once they discovered he isn't human. Which they would pretty quickly," Celeste said kindly as she put the stethoscope to the Doctor's chest. She relaxed slightly upon hearing both of his hearts beating steadily. "Both working."

Jackie frowned, "What do you mean, both?"

"Well, he has two hearts. He's an alien, remember Jackie?"

"Oh, don't be stupid!"

She smiled at the dumbfounded look on Jackie's face and hands her the stethoscope. "Let's leave him alone." She left the room followed closely by Rose and Jackie.

Celeste sat down at the table as Rose stood against the wall, still glaring at her. Celeste sighed. "Yes, Rose? I'm assuming you have something to say."

"Damn right I do! You left! You took the TARDIS and you left and you didn't even bring back _my_ Doctor! You brought back some other Doctor! Who do you think you are?!" Rose yelled.

Celeste looked at her calmly but felt her anger rise. "I did what I had to do. And he's not _your_ Doctor he's _the_ Doctor. He belongs to no one."

"Don't give me that! You've been digging your claws into him from day one! You think just because you're…"

"Enough!" Celeste cried out, jumping up from her chair. "I've had enough of you and your jealousy. I'm sorry that the Doctor doesn't fawn over you but I won't apologize for being his friend. I won't apologize for saving him and I definitely won't let you speak to me like this any further. Don't think I haven't seen the things you've done to try to get rid of me. I've kept my mouth shut because I thought you'd be remorseful and I was willing to let it slide. But so help me, if you don't shut your mouth I will make sure that you stay here for the rest of your miserable life."

Celeste and Rose glared at each other, each in a battle of silent wills. Rose finally broke the unspoken contest when Jackie smacked her arm.

"Don't be an ungrateful wretch. I didn't raise you to be spoilt," Jackie told her sternly. Jackie looked over at Celeste. "And you. You've always been polite but I'll ask you not to raise your voice at my daughter or I'll kick you out, got it?"

Celeste's anger faded as she listened to Jackie. "Yes, Jackie. I apologize." She looked at Rose. "I'm sorry for yelling but I'm not sorry for what I said."

"Yeah, whatever," Rose muttered before going to her room. Jackie sighed as the door shut with a click.

"I don't know what's gotten into her," Jackie muttered. Celeste smiled slightly.

"It's okay, I'm not one to stay angry. Now, I'm sure you have questions. Fire away."

"Right yes. How can he go about changing his face? Is that a different face or is he different person?"

Celeste tilted her head to the side as she thought about how to answer. "Well, you know that he's an alien?" Jackie nodded. "Okay, so his race has the ability to save themselves when they are about to die. They call it Regeneration. The Doctor had to regenerate when he pulled the Time Vortex out of me, to save my life. He's got all of the memories from the previous Doctor it's just his face that's changed. Granted, he may behave a bit differently because he is, technically, a new man."

Jackie nodded slowly, trying to absorb what she had been told. Celeste heard the TV and got up, ignoring Jackie muttering behind her.

"She's the Prime Minister now. I'm eighteen quid a week better off. They're calling it Britain's Golden Age. I keeping saying my Rose has met her," Jackie said proudly.

"She did more than that. She stopped World War Three with Harriet Jones," Celeste said with a smile. She glanced back into the flat as Rose's door opened and she walked into the living room.

"I'm going to go meet Mickey. I'll be back later," Rose grumbled softly. She looked at Celeste for a moment. "Can I talk to you for a sec? In private?"

Celeste nodded and followed her out of the flat, into the hallway. Rose turned and looked at the floor for a moment. "Look, I know I haven't exactly been the nicest to you lately. I just… I just…"

Celeste reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I know what you're trying to say. I need you to understand though that I'm not intentionally coming between you and the Doctor. I'm just trying to be his friend, nothing more."

"Yeah, I guess. I'll try to stop being so crazy," Rose muttered. Celeste smiled and gestured down the hall.

"Go on, go meet up with Mickey. Just be careful out there. You know how are lives are now. Danger is around every corner."

Rose smiled and chuckled lightly, "Isn't that the truth. Tell my mum I'll be back in an hour or so." She walked down the hall waving her arm in goodbye. Celeste walked back into the flat and gave Jackie a small smile when she saw her look of concern. Jackie relaxed and turned back to the TV.

Celeste walked into the room where the Doctor was resting and sat next to him. "I know you can hear me. Things are going to get bad soon, and I'll try not to wake you up unless it's necessary. Just… Get better soon, okay?" She watched as he breathed and a wisp of golden light flew from his mouth.

* * *

Rose and Mickey were walking down the street amongst the shoppers. A brass band was playing God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen in the background.

"So what do you need? Twenty quid?" Mickey asked Rose.

Rose smiled and held out her hand. "Do you mind? I'll pay you back."

Mickey handed her the money. "Call it a Christmas present." She hugged him briefly and they continued down the street.

"God, I can't believe it's Christmas. You just forget about Christmas and things in the TARDIS. They don't exist. You get sort of timeless."

"Oh, yeah, that's fascinating, because I love hearing stories about the TARDIS. Oh, go on Rose, tell us another one because I swear I could listen to it all day. TARDIS this, TARDIS that," Mickey said sarcastically.

"Shut up."

"Oh, and one time the TARDIS landed in a big yellow garden full of balloons!"

"I'm not like that!"

"Oh, you so are."

"Mmmm, must drive you mad. I'm surprised you don't give up on me."

"Oh, that's the thing, isn't it? You can rely on me. I don't go changing my face."

"Yeah…"

Mickey glanced over at her and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Let's just let it be Christmas. Can you do that? Just for a bit. You and me and Christmas. No Doctor, no bog monsters, no life or death."

Rose looked at him, "Okay."

"Promise?"

"Yes!"

"Right then. What're you going to get your mum?" They continued their walk around the market, looking at various items, unaware of the band that watched them.

* * *

Celeste glanced up as Jackie came into the room, phone attached to her ear and a cup of tea in her other hand. She smiled and took the cup that Jackie held out gratefully. She took a sip of the tea and looked at the Doctor just as he exhaled another bit of energy. She sighed and placed a hand on his chest, frowning when she felt only one heart beating. She glanced up when she heard the door slam open. She heard Rose speaking quickly to Jackie and her eyes widened.

She hurried out of the room and looked into the family room. She cursed out loud upon seeing the tree in the corner.

"Get into the Doctor's room," she said harshly.

Rose looked at where she was staring. "Mum. Where'd you get that tree? That's a new tree. Where'd you get it?"

Jackie frowned at Rose. "I thought it was you."

Celeste shook her head. "It wasn't Rose. Now get into the other room."

"It's just a tree, what could possibly be wrong with a tr…" Jackie stopped as the tree in question started spinning. Celeste shoved Rose and Jackie towards the room where Mickey was already holding out. They gasped as the tree started making it's way towards them, destroying the furniture as it approached.

Celeste slammed the door shut and rushed to the Doctor's side, trying to find his screwdriver. Jackie and Mickey pulled the wardrobe in front of the door while Rose twisted her hands anxiously. Celeste found the screwdriver and pushed the button but smacked it against her hand when it did nothing. She grunted in irritation and put it in the Doctor's hand. She looked over at the door as the tree started to smash through.

"Doctor, wake up!" Rose screamed, shaking his arm. Jackie cried softly.

"Oh god, I'm going to get killed by a Christmas tree!"

Rose continued to shake and call out to the Doctor but he didn't move. The tree had burst through the door and Celeste dove towards the Doctor, whispering in his ear.

"Please save me."

The Doctor sat up swiftly and aimed the screwdriver at the tree. It exploded, causing Jackie to shriek.

"Remote control. But who's controlling it," the Doctor muttered. He got up and quickly left the flat to stand outside. They followed him outside to find three Santas gazing up at them, one of which was holding a controller.

"That's them. What are they?" Mickey asked softly.

"Shush!" Rose said to him.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he raised his sonic screwdriver them. They took a few steps back and then beamed away.

"They've just gone. What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offense, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's going to scare them off," Mickey said sarcastically

"Pilot fish," the Doctor muttered. Celeste gently grabbed his arm, knowing he was about to collapse. He leaned into her lightly.

"What?" Rose asked.

"They were just pilot fish," the Doctor said again. He cringed and gasped in pain. Celeste gently set him down against the wall.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, panicked.

"You woke me up too soon. I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy," he said through gasps of pain. He exhaled more golden energy and cringed. "See? The pilot fish could smell it a million miles away. So they eliminate the defense, that's you lot, and they carry me off. They could run their batteries on me for a couple of ow!" He grasped his head in pain.

"I'm sorry, I can't work your screwdriver otherwise I wouldn't have woken you," Celeste whispered regretfully. The Doctor looked at her and smiled through the pain.

"It's fine. I'll show you sometime." He winced again. "My head! I'm having a neuron implosion. I need…."

"What do you need?" Jackie asked desperately.

"I need…"

"Say it. Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"I need…"

"Painkillers?"

"I need…"

"Do you need aspirin?"

"I need…"

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I don't know, Pepto-Bismol?"

"I need…."

"Liquid paraffin? Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?"

"I need…"

"Is it food? Something simple. Bowl of soup. A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?"

"I need you to shut up," the Doctor said through clenched teeth. Jackie gasped in shock while Celeste's shoulders shook in silent laughter.

"Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?" Jackie snapped out.

"We haven't got much time. If there's pilot fish, then." He paused and pulled out something from the pocket of the dressing gown. "Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?"

"Oh, that's Howard. Sorry." Jackie said sheepishly.

The Doctor looked at her incredulously. "He keeps apples in his dressing gown?"

Jackie shrugged. "He gets hungry."

"What, he gets hungry in his sleep?"

"Sometimes."

The Doctor groaned again. "Brain collapsing. The pilot fish. The pilot fish mean that something, something, something is coming." He collapsed, unconscious again.

* * *

Celeste helped the Doctor back into the bed again. She brushed his brow gently and sighed softly in resignation. She got up and wandered into where Mickey was typing on the computer.

Jackie looked up at Celeste as she came in. "Any change?"

Celeste grimaced, "Worse. Just one heart is beating right now." Jackie nodded solemnly while Rose turned down the TV.

"Here we go, pilot fish. Scavengers, like the Doctor said. Harmless. They're tiny. But the point is, the little fish swim alongside the big fish," Mickey said as he read the information on the laptop. Rose walked over and peeked over his shoulder.

"You mean like sharks?"

"Great big sharks. So, what the Doctor means is, we had them, now we get that," Mickey said grimly.

"Something is coming. How close?" Rose asked him.

"Soon, they'll show themselves soon," Celeste said softly. Rose looked at her with a frown.

"How do you know that?"

Celeste shrugged, not wanting to admit to Rose that she knew what would happen in the future. She'd never told Rose and she didn't want to cause another fissure in their tentative cease fire. "Well, I know pilot fish never stay far away from the big fish. Logically, that means that we'll see the big fish soon."

"Funny sort of rocks," Jackie muttered next to them, staring at the TV.

They turned towards the TV and looked at what was being displayed. Rose squinted at the TV.

"That's not rocks," she murmured. An alien showed itself on the screen, snarling and roaring.

"Like I said," Celeste said dryly. Rose glanced at her before turning her attention back to the TV.

* * *

Celeste wiped the Doctor's forehead with a damp cloth. He was muttering in another language, one she assumed was Gallifreyan. She silently wished she had her violin so she could play for him a bit. He'd always loved to listen to her play. She smiled fondly as she remembered the countless times they had sat in the music room just enjoying each other's company amidst the sounds of her violin.

The Doctor tossed his head as he muttered more. She bit her lip and started to hum one of the songs she'd written on the TARDIS. His elevated breathing slowed and his brow relaxed as she hummed to him. She wiped his brow again and continued to hum for a few more minutes. She stopped when she heard Mickey calling for her.

"Coming," she called back. She looked back at the Doctor and pat his hand. "Don't worry, I'll be back." She swept out of the room without glancing back so she was unaware of the frown that the Doctor's face flashed at her departure.

* * *

Mickey, Rose and Jackie were crowded around the laptop. Mickey glanced up at Celeste when she came in.

"Rose didn't recognize this one so I'm guessing you don't either."

Celeste glanced at the Sycorax on the screen and shook her head, feigning ignorance. They turned back to the laptop and watched as the alien started to speak.

"I don't understand what they're saying. The TARDIS translates alien languages inside my head, all the time, wherever I am," Rose said in concern.

"So, why isn't it doing it now?" Mickey asked her.

"The TARDIS and the Doctor work in sync. He's out of commission and the TARDIS is sort of regenerating as well. Hence, no translation," Celeste murmured. She glanced up and noticed Jackie missing. Rose and Mickey quietly discussed the alien and the Doctor while Celeste wandered back to the Doctor's room.

She leaned against the door as she watched Jackie sleeping by the Doctor's bed. Rose and Mickey joined her at the door.

"The Doctor wouldn't do this. The old Doctor, the proper Doctor, he'd wake up. He'd save us," Rose whispered.

"You really love him, don't you?" Mickey asked her.

Celeste scowled slightly at Rose's words, annoyed by her complete lack of faith in the Doctor whom she claimed to love. She saw Rose and Mickey hugging out of the corner of her eye and she walked out to the balcony. She noticed a man walking down the street, completely ignoring his wife calling out his name next to him.

Rose and Mickey joined her on the balcony. "Sandra?" Rose called out to the woman. Sandra turned to Rose, her face very afraid.

"He won't listen. He's just walking. He won't stop walking! There's this sort of light thing. Jason? Stop it right now! Please, Jason, just stop!"

The three of them glance down the street and see more people walking, stone faced and undaunted.

* * *

Mickey, Rose and Celeste stood on the roof and watched in silence as more people flooded the street. Mickey shook his head.

"What do we do?" Mickey asked softly.

"Nothing. There's no one to save us. Not anymore," Rose said miserably. Celeste rolled her eyes and made her way back down to the flat. Rose and Mickey had followed her hastily.

Back in the flat, they all watched as Harriet addressed the nation.

"But, ladies and gentlemen, this crisis is unique, and I'm afraid to say, it might get much worse. I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request. Doctor, if you're out there, we need you. I don't know what to do. If you can hear me, Doctor. If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him, the situation has never been more desperate. Help us. Please, Doctor. Help us. God help us."

Rose burst into tears at the end of the speech. "He's gone. The Doctor's gone. He's left me, mum. He's left me, mum." Jackie hugged her tightly.

Celeste grit her teeth and stormed into the Doctor's room. "Mickey, come help me!" She yelled out as she pulled the covers off the Doctor. The glass in the flats shattered and Celeste didn't flinch at the sound. Mickey rushed into the room, Rose and Jackie close behind and looking confused.

"We're going to carry him. Jackie, get some stuff together. Tea. Food. We're leaving," Celeste said hastily.

"Where to?"

"The TARDIS. It's the only safe place on Earth."

"What're we going to do in the TARDIS? We can't fly it," Rose said, her eyes still red from crying.

"We're going to hide," Celeste said firmly.

"Is that it?" Jackie asked.

"Look, there's an alien invasion about to happen and we can't do anything right now. We need to just get to the TARDIS where we can be safe for a bit longer. Now, move! Mickey, help me."

* * *

Celeste and Mickey carried the Doctor between them while Rose and Jackie carried various bags. Celeste backed herself up against the TARDIS's doors and unlocked them quickly. They set the Doctor down on the floor, Rose and Jackie setting various things down as well.

"No chance you could fly this thing?" Mickey asked Celeste as he approached the console.

"No, she only works for him and he's in no shape to fly right now."

"But you did it before," he pointed out.

She shrugged helplessly. "Once the Time Vortex was pulled from me the knowledge on how to fly went with it. Trying again would not be a good idea, it may do irreparable damage to the universe. And the time before that he was awake and she did it on her own."

"Ah, better not try that then."

She smiled and glanced down at the Doctor. Rose sorted through a few bags and looked up. "So, what do we do then? Just sit here?"

"Nothing else to do until he wakes up. Which he will," Celeste said firmly.

"Right, here we go. Nice cup of tea," Jackie said cheerfully, holding out a flask.

Rose rolled her eyes. "The solution to everything, right mum?"

Jackie frowned at her. "Now, stop your moaning. I'll get the rest of the food." She left the TARDIS after leaving the thermos of tea on the floor. Celeste looked at it and then at the Doctor.

"Tea. Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British. How does this thing work?" He asked as he approached the console and monitor. He turned a few knobs as Rose walked over to him. "If it picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered. What do you do to it?"

"I don't know. It sort of tunes itself," Rose said as she also turned a knob on the monitor.

Celeste looked over at the door and back at the tea once again. She closed her eyes and felt the TARDIS shift ever so slightly. With a small smile, she knocked the tea over with her foot so it spilled out near the Doctor. "Oops, silly me," she murmured softly. She looked up at the monitor and saw the pattern it was displaying.

"Maybe it's a distress signal," Mickey said.

"A fat lot of good that's going to do," Rose scoffed.

"Are you going to be a misery all the time?" Mickey asked in irritation.

"Yes," she snapped out.

"You should look at it from my point of view, stuck in here with your mum's cooking."

Rose looked around curiously. "Where is she, by the way? I'd better give her a hand. It might start raining missiles out there." She headed for the door. Mickey called out after her.

"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine!"

"Why don't you tell her yourself?"

"I'm not that brave," Mickey said dryly. He shot a fake terrified look at Celeste who snickered. He looked down at the tea and raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged innocently.

Rose stepped outside the TARDIS and screamed. Mickey jerked away from the console. "Rose?!" He rushed outside of the TARDIS. Celeste hurried after him and shut the TARDIS door the moment she exited.

"Get off! Get off me!" Rose shouted to the Sycorax that held her. Harriet rushed over to her and tugged her away.

"Rose. Rose! I've got you. My lord. Oh, my precious thing. The Doctor, is he with you?"

"No. We're on our own," Rose said miserably.

Celeste scoffed. "We'll be fine."

The Sycorax pointed at Celeste and she looked at him in surprise. The man with a small translator spoke after the Sycorax stopped.

"The brown girl. She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet."

Harriet gaped at Celeste. "But she can't!"

Celeste shrugged, "Sure I can."

"Don't you dare," Mickey warned.

"Someone's got to stall until the Doctor wakes up," Celeste said calmly.

"They'll kill you!" Harriet cried out as she clutched at Rose who was crying again.

"They can try," she said dryly. She licked her lips and let out a sigh, trying to appear calm. Her heart was racing inside her chest and she inwardly worried that she couldn't bullshit long enough to stall them. She straightened her spine and looked at the Sycorax squarely. "I address the Sycorax in accordance with Convention Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation. You are invading a peaceful world without due cause, which is in direction violation of the rules set forth by the Shadow Proclamation. As such, I insist that you leave this planet immediately or face the consequences." She stood firmly and waited for the inevitable laugher.

The Sycorax in attendance burst out laughing and their leader spoke again, the translator speaking for him.

"You are very, very funny. And now you're going to die."

"Leave her alone!" Harriet shouted.

"Don't touch her!" Mickey cried out as well. They both tried to reach for Celeste but were held back by other Sycorax. Rose bit her lip and remained quiet. The translator trembled as he continued to speak for the Sycorax.

"Did you think you were clever with your stolen words? We are the Sycorax, we stride the darkness. Next to us you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion…"

The next few words came out of the Sycorax in English. "Then your world will be gutted. And your people enslaved."

The translator looked up and his mouth gaped. "Hold on, that's English!"

"He's talking English," Harriet said, flabbergasted.

Celeste smiled triumphantly. "You're speaking English."

"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" The Sycorax leader spat in disgust.

Celeste glanced back at the others in amusement. "That's English. You guys hear English too?"

"Yeah, that's English," Mickey said.

"I speak only Sycoraxic!" The leader shouted.

Celeste waved a hand. "If I can hear English, then that means it's being translated. Which means that the TARDIS is working. Which also means…" She turned back and looked at the TARDIS expectantly. The doors flew open and the Doctor strode out.

"Did you miss me?" He asked cheerfully.

The Sycorax snarled and cracked a whip at him. The Doctor caught it easily and pulled it out of his hand. "You could have someone's eye out with that." The Doctor scolded.

"How dare…!" The Sycorax started to say but stopped when the Doctor ripped a thick club away from another Sycorax, breaking it over his knee.

"You just can't get the staff. Now, you, just wait. I'm busy." He turned to the others and looked at them happily. "Mickey, hello! And Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. Blimey, it's like This Is Your Life. Tea! THat's all I needed, a good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses. Now, first things first." He turned to Celeste. "Be honest, how do I look?"

She rolled her eyes, "Like a loon in a dressing gown."

"Oi! Mean!" He turned to look at Rose. "And you, Rose Tyler, fat lot of good you were. You gave up on me. Oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude. Rude and not ginger." He pouted and tugged at his hair.

Celeste chuckled at him and he winked at her. Harriet looked at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry. Who is this?"

"I'm the Doctor!"

"He's the Doctor," Celeste said with a smile.

"But, what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that's just passed on?" Harriet said in even more confusion.

"I'm him. I'm literally him. Same man, new face. Well, new everything," he said, looking down at himself.

"But you can't be!"

"Harriet Jones, we were trapped in Downing Street and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens, it wasn't the war, it was the thought of your mother being on her own."

Harriet gasped. "Oh my god."

The Doctor grinned, "Did you win the election?"

Harriet smiled as well, "Landslide majority."

"If I might interrupt," the Sycorax bit out.

"Yes, sorry. Hello, big fellow," the Doctor said.

"Who exactly are you?"

"Well, that's the question."

"I demand to know who you are!"

The Doctor threw up his hands. "I don't know! See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy?" He looked over and smirked at Celeste who rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushing. He grinned and looked back at the Sycorax. "Right old misery? Life and soul? Right handed? Left handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob. And how am I going to react when I see this, a great big threatening button. A great big threatening button which must not be pressed under any circumstances, am I right?" He looked over at Celeste who shrugged lightly. "Let me guess. It's some sort of control matrix, hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?"

He reached down and opened the base of the pillar. "And what've we got here? Blood?" He dipped his finger in and sucked it off. Celeste wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood. A Positive, with just a dash of iron. Ah, but that means blood control. Blood control! Oh, I haven't seen blood control for years! You're controlling all the A positives. Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. Because I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a great big threatening button which should never, ever, ever be pressed, then I just want to do this."

He pressed the button and looked at the Sycorax. Rose and Harriet looked at him in horror. The man with the translator sputtered.

"You killed them!"

The Doctor stared at the Sycorax, his eyebrow raised. "What do you think, big fellow? Are they dead?"

"We allow them to live," the Sycorax said reluctantly.

The Doctor snorted. "Allow? You've no choice. I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotise someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis. You can't hypnotise them to death. Survival instinct's too strong."

The Sycorax leader sneered. "Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force!"

The Doctor circled around the group nonchalantly. "Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that, of course you could. But why? Look at these people. These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than… No, hold on. Sorry, that's The Lion King. But the point still stands. Leave them alone!"

"Or what?"

"Or…" The Doctor grabbed and sword and held it out. "I challenge you."

The Sycorax laugh. The Doctor smiled. "Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"

"You stand as this world's champion?"

"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." He tugged off the dressing gown and threw it to Celeste, who caught it deftly. He looked at the Sycorax and raised an eyebrow. "So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?"

The leader snarled at him and yanked his own sword out. "For the planet?"

The Doctor's grin turned feral, "For the planet." They clashed swords and started fighting each other viciously. Rose cringed at the sound and gasped as the Sycorax came close to taking off the Doctor's head.

"Look out!" she yelled.

"Oh, yeah, that helps. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks," the Doctor said sarcastically as he dodged another swipe. He turned and retreated up a tunnel. "Bit of fresh air?" He called out.

* * *

They all scrambled out onto the ship's hull and Rose leapt forward, intent on helping the Doctor. Celeste grabbed her arm and tugged her back.

"Don't. Getting in the way will invalidate the challenge and they'll get Earth," she said firmly.

"Listen to Celeste!" The Doctor shouted. He blocked an attack but was knocked down by a sudden attack. The Sycorax slashed down and cut the Doctor's hand off. He gaped at where his hand used to be.

"You cut my hand off!"

The nearby Sycorax cheered. Celeste glanced over at them and spotted another sword. She took a few slow steps towards it.

"And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky. Because quite by chance I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy to do this," he stared at where his hand used to be and within seconds, another hand had grown. He wiggled his fingers and smiled.

"Witchcraft!" the Sycorax snarled.

"Time Lord," the Doctor replied.

Celeste reached over and grabbed the sword. "Doctor!" She yelled as she threw it at him.

"Ah, Celeste, the never lets me down!" He smiled at her and she grinned back. He looked back at the Sycorax. "Want to know the best bit? This new hand? It's a fighting hand!"

He attacked the Sycorax and disarmed him, holding both hilts to the Sycorax's abdomen. "I win," he said.

"Then kill me," the Sycorax spat.

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command. Leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?"

The Sycorax stared at him for a moment before answering reluctantly. "Yes."

"Swear on the blood of your species!"

"I… Swear."

The Doctor pulled the swords away and tossed them aside. "There we are, then. Thanks for that. Cheers, big fellow."

"Bravo!" Harriet cheered happily.

"That says it all. Bravo, Doctor!" Rose cried out.

"An, not bad for a man in his jim-jams," the Doctor said in amusement. Celeste chuckled and held out the dressing gown, which he pulled on. "Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man. Hold on, what have I got here?" He pulled out a small round object and looks at Rose in amusement. "Ah, that friend of your mother's. He does like his snacks doesn't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas? You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?"

Celeste nodded to the Sycorax behind him who had jumped up and was running towards the Doctor, sword raised. The Doctor threw the satsuma at a control which opened a piece of the wing, the leader falling down to the Earth below. His eyes grew stormy as he grabbed Celeste's hand. "No second chances. I'm that sort of a man."

* * *

Back inside the ship, the Doctor stood in front of of the Sycorax, arms crossed as he addressed them. "By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet, when you tell them of it's riches, it's people, it's potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this. It. Is. Defended."

There was utter silence for a few moments before the Doctor and the other humans were beamed away.

* * *

Everyone looked around in confusion upon seeing that they were once more on a regular street.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

"We're just off Bloxom Road. We're just around the corner, we did it!" Mickey shouted in glee.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," the Doctor said, waving his hand towards the ship. After it hovered in the air for a bit longer it zoomed away. Everyone started laughing and shouting in excitement.

"Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!" Mickey yelled. Rose jumped on his back and raised her fist.

"Yeah! And don't come back!"

Mickey and Rose continued to laugh and cheer. The Doctor looked over at Harriet and smiled.

"My Doctor," Harriet said with a shake of her head.

"Prime Minister," he said. Harriet laughed and they hugged happily.

"Absolutely the same man. Are there many more out there?" She asked softly.

"Oh, not just Sycorax. Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day you're sending out probes and messages and signals. This planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed more and more. You'd better get used to it."

Harriet nodded and walked over to speak to her colleague. Celeste's eyes narrowed on them before she turned upon hearing someone shout Rose's name.

"Oh, talking of trouble," the Doctor grumbled. Celeste smacked his arm and he rubbed it with a fake look of hurt on his face. She looked back at Jackie and smiled at her.

"He's all fixed. Just needed some tea is all."

"I said so," Jackie said firmly. She looked hesitant after a second. "It is him though? Is it really the Doctor?" They all nodded and she sighed in relief.

The Doctor grinned and held out his arms. "Come here, you!" Rose, Mickey and Jackie all went to him for a giant hug. Celeste ignored them and stared intently at the Prime Minister and her lackey. The hug was interrupted when five green rays shot into the sky and destroyed the Sycorax's ship. They all gasped in shock and the Doctor whirled on the Prime Minister.

"That was murder," he snarled.

"That was defense. It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago," Harriet said haughtily.

"But they were leaving, they posed no threat," Celeste said angrily.

"You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. Mister Llewellyn and the Major, they were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case we have to defend ourselves."

"You may think you've helped but you haven't. Don't use your own personal loss as a scapegoat for your actions," Celeste snapped out. The Doctor stepped towards Harriet, his eyes burning with rage.

"Britain's Golden Age," he bit out.

"It comes with a price," Harriet said, unfazed by the anger directed at her.

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race."

"Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf."

"Then I should have stopped you."

"What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?"

Celeste snorted in disbelief. The Doctor glared at Harriet, "Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones, because I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your Government with a single word."

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that," Harriet said derisively.

"No, you're right. Not a single word, just six."

"I don't think so."

"Six. Words."

"Stop it!"

"Six."

He walked over to the translator and whispered in his ear. He casually walked back to Celeste and threw an arm over her shoulder. He gestured to the others and they walked away, ignoring Harriet's shouts behind them.

* * *

Mickey, Rose, Celeste and Jackie all sat around the table back in the Tyler flat, laughing and eating Christmas dinner. They glanced up when the Doctor sauntered in, dressed to in his pinstripe suit. He plopped down in the remaining chair as they started handing out the holiday crackers.

The phone rang and Jackie got up to get it. She came back in a second later, her hand covering the phone.

"It's Beth. She says go and look outside."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"I don't know, just go outside and look. Come on, shift!"

They all made their way outside and were awed by the softly falling flakes. Rose spun in a circle and giggled. The Doctor put his hands in his pockets and stared up at the sky. Celeste stood next to him, just as solemn.

"Oh, it's beautiful. What are they, meteors?" Rose asked as she spun.

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere. This isn't snow, it's ash," the Doctor said grimly.

"Okay, not so beautiful," Rose said hesitantly. She stopped spinning and looked around sadly as Mickey threw an arm around her. They both looked up at the sky and watched the pieces of the ship burn up in the atmosphere.

"This is a brand new planet Earth. No denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new."

"And what about you? What's next on the grand adventure?" Celeste asked him softly.

"Well, back to the TARDIS. Same old life for me," he said with a shrug.

She smiled, "So, where are we going first?"

He looked at her and grinned. "So you're coming then? For sure?"

She snorted, "How many times have I got to say it? Honestly, you're like a child."

His eyes softened, "I like hearing you say it." She looked up at him with a gleam in her eyes. She raised herself on the balls of her feet to whisper in his ear.

"I'll never leave you."

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest in a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed.

"And Rose?" he asked her softly. She eased back and looked up at him.

"If she wants to come, she can."

He nodded as he dropped his arms and looked up at Rose and Mickey. "Oi! Rose! You coming or are you staying?"

Rose looked at him in surprise, "I can still come?"

"Well yeah, unless you don't want to."

"I do!" She said eagerly. Mickey's shoulders dropped.

"You're never going to stay, are you?"

She looked at him a bit sadly. "There's just so much out there. So much to see. I've got to."

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Well, I reckon you're mad, the three of you. It's like you go looking for trouble," Jackie said.

Celeste laughed and the Doctor shrugged helplessly. "Trouble's just the bits in-between. It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me. All those planets, and creatures and horizons. I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes. And it's going to be fantastic!" The Doctor said as he rubbed his hands together.

Rose smiled and stood next to the Doctor.

"So, where're we going to go first?" She asked them.

The Doctor looked up at the sky, squinting. "Er, that way." He pointed in a seemingly random direction. Celeste reached over and adjusted his arm to the left slightly. He winked at her and nodded at the new direction. "That way, for sure."

Rose looked up excitedly as the Doctor laced his fingers with Celeste's.

"Yeah, that way."


	15. New Earth

I don't own anything in the Doctor Who universe, only Celeste.

AN: FAIR WARNING. The Sims 4 is coming out and I may slow down how much I'm posting as I obsessively play that for a while. I know I've been super dedicated to this story but priorities! Ok, I'm mostly being selfish. I'll try to remember that other things in the world exist. Also, I'm planning on skipping a few episodes in the second season because I don't care about them. I have other, more important bits I want to be writing. ^_^

* * *

Celeste helped the Doctor power up the TARDIS as they waited on Rose, who was saying goodbye to Mickey and Jackie. She glanced at him as he pushed a few levers. "How's the new body working out for you?"

He looked up at her. "Well, I mean, it's new. New and thin. I can't decide if I like red or blue more. You know, the usual dilemmas that come with being a Time Lord."

"You consider choosing a favorite color, a dilemma?" She asked, her voice bubbling with laughter.

"It's an important distinction! Never know when someone will offer the choice of hats and you have to choose a red or a blue one. Do I even like hats?" He mumbled to himself while Celeste shook her head, her hand coming up as she palmed her face.

Rose walked into the TARDIS, swinging her bag by her side. She looked at Celeste curiously.

"You're not going to get some stuff from your place?"

Celeste shrugged and tried not to look nervous. "The TARDIS has given me a few things to tide me over for a few trips." In reality, the TARDIS had given her an entire closet filled with clothes. And if she asked for anything, the TARDIS made it for her. She'd never have to buy clothes again so long as she was travelling with the Doctor.

Rose shrugged and tossed her bag off the side. She looked at the Doctor and bounced on her feet.

"So, where are we going?" Rose asked.

"Further than we've ever gone before," the Doctor said, wiggling his brows. He threw another lever and the TARDIS shook as she was flung through the Time Vortex.

* * *

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors after she had finished appearing and flung out his arms to show them where they were. Rose's jaw dropped as she watched flying cars zoom by and Celeste grinned with excitement.

"It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth."

"That's just… That's just…" Rose gaped comically.

"Utterly brilliant and amazing?" Celeste said happily. She reached down and plucked a few strands of the grass and inhaled the fragrance. She never thought apple grass would smell so delicious.

"It's definitely amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?" Rose asked, looking around herself.

The Doctor put his hands in his pockets. "Apple grass."

She looked at him in shock. "Apple grass."

The Doctor shrugged but he couldn't help the smile. "Yeah, yeah."

"It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it," Rose said as she grabbed his arm, beaming up at him before looking around more. The Doctor glanced at Celeste over Rose's head when he answered.

"Me too. Come on."

* * *

The Doctor had taken off his coat and was lounging on it alongside Rose. Celeste had opted to sit a bit behind after the not so subtle look Rose had given her. The Doctor glanced at her surreptitiously when he thought Rose wouldn't notice.

"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted," the Doctor rapidly.

"That was our first date," Rose said dreamily. The Doctor looked at Celeste, his eyes silently pleading for help. She smothered her laughter and shrugged innocently. He scowled at her before turning his attention back to Rose, a stiff smile on his face.

"We had chips. So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement. But then they find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out and the humans move in."

"What's the city called?" Rose asked utterly enthralled.

"New New York."

"Oh, come on."

"It is! It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." He looked over at Rose who was staring at him a bit sadly. "What?"

"You're so different," she choked out.

"New New Doctor," he said with a shrug.

"Different is good," Celeste said happily. The Doctor grinned at her and Rose wrinkled her nose.

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?" Rose asked as she tugged the Doctor's arm again to get him to focus on her once more.

He turned back to Rose and stood up. "Well, I thought we might go there first," he said, pointing towards a giant building across the river. Celeste stood up and walked over to stand next to them.

"Why, what is it?" Rose asked.

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper," he said as he held out the paper. The words 'Ward 26 Please Come' flashed across it. He closed it and shoved it back into his pocket. Rose pouted at the message. "Someone wants to see me."

"And I thought we were just sight-seeing. Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes," Rose grumbled. She grabbed the Doctor's hand and tugged him down the hill. He looked a bit pained as he allowed himself to be dragged along and Celeste chuckled, following behind them casually. She glanced over her shoulder briefly at the spot Chip was hiding and sent him a small glare. With a huff, she jogged to catch up to the Doctor and Rose.

* * *

The Doctor whined pitifully when they entered the lobby of the hospital. Rose snorted in amusement at him. "Bit rich coming from you."

"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps," the Doctor said with a shudder.

Celeste glanced around with interest and nodded politely to one of the nurses who walked by. She wandered over to an alcove where a few chairs were set along with what looked like magazines. She picked one up and flicked through it, smiling as the words translated from whatever language it was into English. She couldn't help the thought about doctor's offices and boring magazines from flitting through her mind. She glanced back at the Doctor and Rose and caught them both entering a lift.

With a gasp, she rushed over to try to make the lift as well but it closed just as she got there. She groaned and rested her head on the metal doors. "Why me?" She said pathetically.

"Sorry Celeste! Looks like we're going up. Ward 26! See you in a tic!" the Doctor shouted through the doors.

She looked up at the ceiling in resignation, "Not exactly." With a sigh, she got into the second lift and hit the button, saying where she wanted to go in a dull voice. She felt the lift start heading down and she took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut just as the spray hit her body. She makes a noise of astonishment and shakes her hands out once the spray finished. The dryers started and she ran her hand through her hair.

The door to her lift opened just as she was making some final adjustments to her now wavy hair. She held back another sigh upon seeing Chip.

"The human child is clean," Chip said.

"Let's just get this over with," she muttered with a grimace.

"This way, Celeste Smith," Chip said cheerfully, waving her down the hall. She followed silently, her irritation rising with each step.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose were escorted by a nurse into the ward. The Doctor bounced along anxiously, his dislike of hospitals evident in the way his eyes shifted constantly.

"Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop."

"The hospital is a place of healing," the nurse scolded.

"A shop does some people a world of good. Not me. Other people."

"Doctor," Rose whispered, giving him a look to hush about the shop. He frowned and kicked his shoe on the floor, muttering under his breath.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend," the nurse said, unfazed. They passed by an open unit and a large man lay on the bed, an assistant next to him. The assistant gasped in shock upon seeing them look inside.

"Excuse me! Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York!" The assistant said imperiously.

The Doctor took in the Duke's physical appearance for a moment. "That's Petrifold Regression, right?"

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this," the Duke moaned dramatically. The assistant looked frantic.

"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance!" she said swiftly.

The Duke moaned again, "Frau Clovis! I'm so weak!"

Clovis looked at the nurse pointedly. "Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please," she hissed out. Jatt nodded and closed the curtain. She looked over at the Doctor briefly.

"He'll be up and about in no time."

"That's good news," Rose said awkwardly. She looked at the Doctor and whispered to him softly, "There's a Duke of Manhattan?"

The Doctor ignored her question and looked at Nurse Jatt in mild astonishment. "I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue."

"Have faith in the Sisterhood. But is there no one here you recognize? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient," Jatt said serenely.

Rose tugged at the Doctor's coat and pointed to the corner. The Doctor's eyes lit up. "No, I think I've found him," he said happily. He tugged Rose towards the large face in a container. Nurse Jatt looked at the attending Nurse.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Novice Hame nodded and Nurse Jatt turned to leave but paused when the Doctor spoke again.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Celeste Smith. Could you ask at reception?"

Nurse Jatt nodded, "Certainly, sir." She left and headed back towards the lift.

The Doctor knelt next to the giant face and placed his hand the glass.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend or…"

"We met just the once on Platform One," the Doctor said sadly.

"What's wrong with him?" Rose asked.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying," Hame said with sorrow in her eyes.

The Doctor glanced up at her. "Of what?"

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible."

"Oh, I don't know. I like impossible," the Doctor said in good humor. He turned back to Boe and stroked the glass. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me, it's the Doctor." Rose knelt next to him and laid her head on his shoulder as they both gazed at the sleeping head.

* * *

Celeste stumbled over a piece of rubbish that littered the hallway and muttered under her breath in frustration. "I swear, she's lucky that she ultimately ends up in Chip and then dies. Otherwise, I definitely would not be doing this."

Chip glanced at her over his shoulder and she threw him a fake smile of reassurance. He frowned but kept walking. They walked into a larger area and Celeste was unsurprised to see a reel of Cassandra.

"Great, fantastic," Celeste muttered angrily. She crossed her arms and glared at Cassandra.

"Peekaboo!" Cassandra cried out mockingly.

"What do you want, Cassandra?" Celeste asked, her tone belaying her boredom.

"Why would I want something from you? Hmmm? Oh, moisturize me, moisturize me," Cassandra simpered.

Celeste snorted and remained silent. Cassandra sighed happily as Chip sprayed her down.

"This is Chip, he's my pet. He's not a proper lifeform. He's a force grown clone. I modelled him on my favorite pattern. And he's fo faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs," Cassandra crooned out.

"I really hope you mean food. How did you survive?"

"After you murdered me," Cassandra started to say. Celeste held up a hand.

"That was your own fault. You raised the temperature yourself," Celeste pointed out.

"The brain of my mistress survived. And her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin," Chip said dreamily. Celeste shivered in disgust.

"This piece of skin is from my back. The original piece was from the front."

Celeste looked at Cassandra in amusement. "Your back, huh," she drawled.

"Ask not," Cassandra bit out. Celeste shrugged helplessly in amusement.

"The mistress was lucky to survive. Chip secreted milady into the hospital."

"So they're unaware that you're lurking down here?"

"Chip steals medicine. Helps milady. Soothes her, strokes her," Chip said fondly as he caressed Cassandra. Celeste's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"You can cut that out, thanks."

"But I'm so alone, hidden down here. The last Human in existence," Cassandra said dramatically

Celeste rolled her eyes. "Please, this planet is called New Earth. There are plenty of humans here."

"A vegetable patch filed with mutant stock!"

"Evolution, Cassandra. Natural part of life. You should have followed their lead. Instead you're in the dark, preserved. What good has it done you?"

Cassandra ignored the question and sighed at the images that were still being projected on the wall. "Oh, I remember that night. Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace. That was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that it all became such hard work."

"Well, you're a survivalist, I'll give you that much."

"But I've not been idle, Celeste, tucked away underneath this hospital. I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something," Cassandra muttered.

"Are they?"

"Oh these cats have secrets. Hush, let me whisper. Come close," Cassandra crooned.

Celeste shook her head and tried to take a step back but was stopped by some energy. She struggled against the bonds and glared at Cassandra. "Don't do this! Let me go this instant!"

"The lady's moving on. It's goodbye trampoline, and hello brunnette!" Cassandra cried out. A burst of energy flew from Cassandra to Celeste, causing Celeste to gasp and double over slightly. The machine turned off and Celeste collapsed on the ground.

Chip cautiously approached the collapsed woman. "Mistress?"

Celeste groaned, "Moisturize me!" Cassandra, now in Celeste's body, glanced down at herself in astonishment as she stood up. "How bizarre. Arms, fingers, hair! Let me see! Let me see!" Cassandra rushed to a nearby mirror and looked at herself in Celeste's body. She fluffed her wavy auburn hair and pursed her lips in consideration. She turned and ran a hand down the pale blue cardigan she was wearing and brushed the knee length pleated skirt playfully.

"Oh, this may do. Yes, what a nice figure she had. Clothes are a bit pedestrian but that's easily fixed," she said. She unbuttoned the first few buttons of the cardigan revealing the lacy camisole underneath. She tugged the cardigan down further and glanced at her new reflection in satisfaction.

* * *

The Doctor handed Novice Hame and Rose each a cup of water. Novice Hame took it with a smile, "That's very kind. There's no need."

"You're the one working," the Doctor said kindly.

"There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs."

"Are we the only visitors?" Rose asked as she sipped the water.

"The rest of Boekind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe was watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself."

The Doctor frowned, "What does that mean?"

"It's just a story," she said with a shrug.

"Tell me the rest."

"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. To the man without a home. The Lonely God."

The Doctor's eyes widened and he looked at Boe in surprise. Rose looked at him with wide eyes.

* * *

"Well, now that all of this is handled. Oh, look," Cassandra said as she looked over at the old equipment that had been keeping her alive.

"Oh, the brain lead expired. My old mistress is gone," Chip said sadly.

"But safe and sound in here," Cassandra said as she tapped Celeste's head. "Hmm, this girl is incredibly good at shielding her thoughts. She's tucked away any useful information and I've only got glimpses of memories. She's… Oh my! She's with the Doctor! A new man. He's the Doctor. The same Doctor with a new face. That hypocrite! I must get the name of his surgeon. I could do with a little work. Although, nice overall. Hmmm." She jumped as a ringing sounded from somewhere on her person.

She pat herself and discovered that the skirt had small pockets and tucked away in one of them was a phone that the Doctor had given to Celeste not too long ago for emergencies. Cassandra looked at it curiously. "Oh, it seems to be ringing. Is it meant to ring?"

"A primitive communications device," Chip whispered. Cassandra flipped it open and hesitantly raised it to her ear.

"Celeste, where are you?" The Doctor asked.

Cassandra held her hand over the speaker, "How does she speak?"

"Old Earth English? Cockney?" Chip shrugged helplessly.

"Er, wotcha," Cassandra said hesitantly.

"Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26? Are you okay?" The Doctor asked swiftly

"I'm on my way governor. I shall proceed up the apples and pears."

"You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?" The Doctor asked but Cassandra missed the suspicion in his tone.

"Of course I do!" She blurted out. "That big old… Boat. Race…"

"I'd better go. See you in a minute." The Doctor clicked off the line and Cassandra sighed in relief. She pocketed the phone again and grabbed a small vial of perfume.

"This Doctor man is dangerous," Chip said nervously.

"Dangerous and clever. I might need a mind like his. The Sisterhood is up to something. Remember that Old Earth saying, never trust a Nun? Never trust a Nurse. And never trust a cat. Perfume?" Cassandra tucked the vial between her breasts and sauntered down the hall.

* * *

The Doctor slowly put the phone back into his pocket, his eyes narrowed as his mind went over his phone call with Celeste. Rose looked at him in concern. "What?"

He shook his head and walked back down the ward, pausing at the Duke's unit again.

"Didn't think I was going to make it. It's that man again! He's my good luck charm. Come in, don't be shy!" the Duke cried out jovially. The Doctor looked at him in shock.

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract," Clovis said swiftly.

"Winch me up. Up! Look at me! No sign of infection," the Duke said happily.

"Champagne, sir?" A waiter asked the Doctor. Rose shook her head and the Doctor didn't bother to glance at him.

"No, thanks. You had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"That being the operative word. Past tense. Completely cured."

The Doctor's jaw dropped. "But that's impossible!"

Another nurse calmly walked up to them to see what the commotion was about. "Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science."

"How on Earth did you cure him?" The Doctor asked, still utterly confused.

"How on New Earth, you might say," the nurse purred.

"What's in that solution?" The Doctor asked as he pointed at the IV drip attached to the Duke.

"A simple remedy," she replied with a shrug.

"Then tell me what it is."

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor. This is Rose."

"I'll think you'll find that we're the doctors here," Casp said scornfully. The Doctor scowled and opened his mouth to retort but Nurse Jatt chose that moment to hurry up to the Matron.

"Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care."

Casp nodded and looked at the Doctor, "If you would excuse me." She swept out of the ward regally.

"Um, Doctor? You said that whatever the Duke had wouldn't be cured for a thousand years. So how is it they have the cure?" Rose asked.

"Yeah… So how did they do it," the Doctor said softly. He jumped into motion again, checking each of the units. Cassandra, still occupying Celeste's body, sashayed into the ward. The Doctor looked her over briefly.

"There you are. Come and look at this patient. Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one," he guided Cassandra over to a man who was as pale as the gown he was wearing. The Doctor looked at her out of the corner of his eye to gauge her reaction and was perplexed by the blank look on her face. He continued on anyway, "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it," Cassandra drawled out oddly. Both the Doctor and Rose looked at her with mixtures of shock and confusion.

"What's… What's… What's with the voice?" The Doctor stuttered out.

"Oh, I don't know. Just larking about. New Earth, new me," Cassandra replied as she waved a hand.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor."

Cassandra eyed him and her eyes gleamed. "Mmm, aren't you just…" She lunged at him and grabbed him roughly to bring his head down to meet hers. She kissed him passionately for several seconds before releasing him, a satisfied smirk on her face. The Doctor looked dazed and Rose's eyes looked as if they'd pop out of her head. "Terminal's this way. Phew."

"Celeste?!" Rose shrieked. Cassandra just gave the Doctor a seductive wink before walking away. Rose turned her incensed gaze towards the Doctor who merely looked at her wide eyed. She stormed off in a rage. The Doctor rolled his shoulders and smiled slightly. "Yep, still got it."

* * *

Rose glared at Celeste, incapable of understanding what she had seen. "So, was all of that back on Earth about not trying to get in the way utter garbage?" She snarled.

Cassandra turned to her and eyed her in amusement. "Oh Blondie. Where is your decorum? Your class? Nothing but a chav. Tsk."

Rose opened her mouth to shout at her but snapped it shut with an audible click when the Doctor appeared next to them. He turned on the terminal, popping his glasses on and squinted at the screen as information appeared.

"Nope, nothing odd. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop."

Cassandra leaned over and pointed at the screen. "No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"

"You're right, well done," the Doctor said as he started searching the database for information regarding the missing department.

Cassandra shook her head, "Why would they hide a whole department? It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."

The Doctor paused for a half a second before messing with the console again. "What if the sub-frame's locked?"

"Try the installation protocol," Cassandra said distractedly.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry, hold on," The Doctor murmured as he pulled out his screwdriver and used it on the interface. After a few seconds the entire wall slid down, revealing a darkened corridor. "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive," the Doctor said wryly before following Cassandra who had immediately started walking down the corridor, Rose following behind with a glare on her face.

* * *

They continued down the corridor until they reached a giant room filled with cells. There were thousands of individual units and each had someone inside. The Doctor cautiously opened one and they all looked inside. Cassandra reared back in disgust.

"That's disgusting. What's wrong with him?" Cassandra asked as she inspected the disease ridden man.

"That poor man, what have they done to him?" Rose asked softly.

The Doctor's eyes grew weary and sad as he looked at the him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said as he shut the door. He moved to the next pod and opened it, revealing a young woman in the same condition.

"What disease is that?" Rose asked.

"All of them," the Doctor said tersely. "Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

"What about us? Are we safe?" Cassandra asked nervously.

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them," the Doctor said slowly, closing the door. His hands rested on the outside of the unit briefly before they dropped to his side, clenching into fists. This was wrong and whatever had happened to Celeste was making him very angry.

"How many patients are there?" Rose whispered, her previous anger at Celeste gone and replaced with horror and sadness.

"They're not patients," the Doctor bit out. Cassandra looked at him in confusion.

"But they're sick," she started to say but the Doctor interrupted her.

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm," the Doctor spat. Rose reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. He looked at her and his eyes softened slightly. Cassandra frowned and crossed her arms.

"Why don't they just die?" Cassandra asked skeptically.

"Plague carriers. The last to go," the Doctor replied as he looked back at the woman's tube again.

"It's for the greater cause."

The three of them looked behind them and saw Novice Hame standing there. The Doctor glared at her.

"Novice Hame, when you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help," Hame said calmly.

"By infecting people? How is that helping? What about them?" Rose demanded, waving her hand at the tubes.

"But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."

"What's the turnover, hmm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years? How many!" the Doctor shouted in anger.

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh."

"These people are _alive_!" the Doctor snarled.

Hame looked at him pleadingly. "But think of those humans out there who are healthy and happy because of us.

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless," the Doctor said with a shake of his head.

"But who are you to decide that?" Hame demanded in frustration.

He took a step towards her, his eyes darkening with his anger. "I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."

Cassandra raised a hand in question. "Just to confirm. None of the humans in the city actually know about this?"

Hame shook her head. "We thought it best not."

"Hold on," the Doctor said, raising a finger for silence. "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Celeste?"

Rose looked at him and then Celeste in surprise. "What? What do you mean?"

Hame frowned, "I don't know what you mean." Cassandra looked at the Doctor warily and took a discrete step back.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he took another threatening step towards Novice Hame. "And I'm being very, very calm. You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Celeste's head, I want it reversed."

Hame shook her head, her brows furrowing in confusion. "We haven't done anything."

"I'm perfectly fine," Cassandra said airly.

The Doctor glanced at her, "These people are dying and the Celeste I know would care. She'd be very upset and outraged."

Cassandra scowled and flicked a piece of hair over her shoulder. " Oh, all right, clever clogs. Smarty pants. Lady killer."

Rose stepped closer to the Doctor, eyeing Celeste warily. "What's going on, Doctor?"

The Doctor ignored Rose and kept his gaze on Celeste, "What's happened to you?"

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find out," Cassandra said with a shrug.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked, eyes narrowed.

Cassandra smirked, "The Last Human."

Rose gasped and looked at her in surprise, "Cassandra?!"

Cassandra pulled the vial from where she had stashed it, "Wake up and smell the perfume." She quickly sprayed the Doctor and Rose, causing them both to collapse. Cassandra smiled triumphantly and looked over at Novice Hame.

"You've hurt them. I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron," Hame said nervously.

"You do that because I want to see her. Now, run along. Sound the alarm!" Cassandra called out as she pulled on a power cable, the alarms sounding. Hame looked panicked and ran off quickly.

* * *

The Doctor's eyes snapped opened and winced as his head throbbed from hitting the floor. He stood up and slammed his hands on the glass.

"Let me out! Let me out!"

"Doctor! Doctor get me out!" he heard Rose cry out near him.

"Rose! Are you okay?" He called out.

"Been better. Can you get us out?" Rose said weakly.

"Working on it," he said loudly.

"Aren't you lucky there were a couple of spares? Standing room only," Cassandra sneered.

"You've stolen Celeste's body," the Doctor said through clenched teeth.

Cassandra put a hand on her hip and glared at the Doctor. "Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about three minutes left. Enjoy!"

"Just let Celeste go, Cassandra," the Doctor pleaded as he continued to press his hands against the door.

"Oh, I will. As soon as I've found a body more suited to my needs. Then I'll just junk her with the waste. Now hushaby. It's showtime," Cassandra sneered.

Cassandra turned towards Jatt and Casp as they walked up to her. She crossed her arms and threw them a confident smirk.

"Anything we can do to help?" Jatt asked calmly.

"Straight to the point, whiskers. I want money," Cassandra said bluntly.

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only accept," Casp said in amusement.

Cassandra snorted. "The humans across the water pay you a fortune, and that's exactly what I need. A one-off payment, that's all I want. Oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?"

"I'm afraid not," Casp said dryly.

Cassandra frowned in consternation, "I'd really advise you to think about this."

"Oh, there's no need. I have to decline," Casp said with a smirk.

"I'll tell them, and you've no way of stopping me! You're not exactly Nuns with Guns. You're not even armed," Cassandra scoffed.

"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Casp said with a sneer, raising her hands with a hiss.

Cassandra swallowed and reached over to grasp a lever. "Well, nice try. Chip? Plan B!"

She pulled the lever and all of the doors opened. The Doctor and Rose stumbled out of the tubes. The Doctor looked around in shock.

"What've you done?" He asked Cassandra.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up. See you!" Cassandra yelled as she ran away.

"Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch them! Rose, come on!" the Doctor shouted as he ran after Cassandra.

Cassandra came to a halt as more of the units open and a scream can be heard from behind them. "Oh, my god," Cassandra gasped out as the people shuffled from the units.

"What the hell have you done?" The Doctor snapped out.

"It wasn't me!" Cassandra cried out. She stumbled back towards the Doctor who grabbed her arm roughly.

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra. We've got to go down."

"Doctor, we have to move!" Rose said as she stepped away from a few of the people hastily.

The Doctor shoved Cassandra down, "Run! Down! Down! Go down!"

They rushed down a staircase and Cassandra pressed the call button for the lift frantically.

"No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine. Nothing's moving," the Doctor said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Rose gasped for breath next to him, looking around anxiously.

"This way!" Cassandra yelled. She dashed down another corridor to lead them to where she had hidden herself before. Chip called out to her from behind and the Doctor glanced back at him.

"Someone will touch him!" the Doctor called out, taking a step towards Chip.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thing. He's only got a half life. Come on!" Cassandra called out in irritation as she continued down the corridor.

"Mistress!" Chip cried out fearfully. The Doctor looked at him sadly.

"I'm sorry. I can't let her escape. Come on, Rose," the Doctor said quietly as he grabbed Rose's hand and they took off down the hall.

* * *

Cassandra raced through her former quarters towards the back door. The Doctor and Rose ran in after her and the Doctor looked up at the equipment critically. His eyes narrowed as he realized what the machines were. He looked at Cassandra, in Celeste's body, and his jaw tightened. Celeste's mind was being suppressed harshly and if it stayed that way for too long, she'd be lost. He couldn't let that happen.

"We're trapped! What am I going to do?" Cassandra moaned in despair.

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body. That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet. You're compressing Celeste to death."

"But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead," Cassandra whined.

The Doctor shook his head, "Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out. Give her back to me."

Cassandra shrugged, "You asked for it." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A rush of energy left Celeste and flowed into the Doctor. The Doctor stiffened as Cassandra's consciousness asserted itself into his mind. Celeste swayed and put her hand to her head.

"Ugh, that was awful." She glanced up at Rose who was staring at the Doctor fearfully. "Rose? What happened to Cassandra? Where did she…" Celeste trailed off and swore softly as she realized that Cassandra had entered the Doctor.

Cassandra, now in the Doctor's body, ran a hand down the front of the Doctor's suit. "Oh, my. This is different."

"Cassandra?" Rose choked out. Celeste glared at Cassandra.

"Goodness me, I'm a man! Yum. So many parts. And hardly used! Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" Cassandra danced in place for a moment.

"Cassandra, I'm only going to say this once. Get out of him. I don't care if you stay inside me but we need him, so get out," Celeste snapped out.

"Get out of him, Cassandra," Rose said firmly.

Cassandra ignored them and continued to turn in place to peer at the Doctor's body. "Oooh, he's slim, and a little bit foxy. You thought so too. I've been inside your head. You like him."

Celeste rolled her eyes in exasperation and they all jumped when diseased people burst through the door.

"What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" Cassandra cried out in panic.

Celeste rushed towards the ladder and gestured to Rose, "Rose, ladder. We've got to get up."

Cassandra ran to the ladder, shoving Rose out of the way. "Out of the way, blondie! You too!"

"Please, help us. Help," one of the diseased women muttered. Celeste looked at her sadly before following Rose up the ladder.

* * *

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something!" Rose shouted up to Cassandra.

"Yap, yap, yap. God, I'm glad I wasn't in your body. Hers was bad enough," Cassandra muttered.

"We're going to die if…" Celeste started but stopped suddenly with a gasp when she felt Matron Casp grab her ankle. She looked down at the nun and shook her ankle. "Get off!"

"All our good work. All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything!" Casp screamed out.

"Oh, go and play with a ball of string," Cassandra said in irritation.

"Everywhere, disease. This is the human world. Sickness!" Casp cried out. A diseased woman reached out and grabbed onto Casp's ankle. She screamed as the illnesses overtook her and she fell down the lift shaft.

Cassandra reached the door and let out a cry of frustration when the doors wouldn't open. "Now what do we do?"

"Use the sonic screwdriver!" Rose called out.

"You mean this thing?" Cassandra asked as she pulled the screwdriver out of the Doctor's coat pocket.

"Yes, I mean that thing," Rose said in irritation.

"Well, I don't know how! The Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts like she had!"

"Cassandra, go back into me. The Doctor can open it. Do it!" Celeste shouted from below them.

"Oh fine. Hold on tight," Cassandra said in exasperation. Energy floated from the Doctor to Celeste whose eyes fluttered as Cassandra took over again. Cassandra glanced down and groaned. "Oh, great. This again. Open up the door!"

The Doctor glared at her, "Not till you get out of her!"

"We need the Doctor," Cassandra sputtered.

"I order you to leave her!" The Doctor said.

"We don't have time for this!" Rose shouted desperately.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and the energy left Celeste, moving back to the Doctor again. Cassandra shook her head and glared down at Celeste and Rose.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout."

"Cassandra, get out of him!" Rose cried in frustration.

"But I can't get into either of you, he simply refuses. He's so rude."

"I don't care. Just do something," Celeste bit out.

"Oh, I am so going to regret this," Cassandra moaned. The energy left the Doctor and flew down into the diseased woman below. Cassandra gasped and looked at her new hands. "Oh, sweet lord. I look disgusting."

The Doctor used his screwdriver and opened the lift doors. He hauled Rose up with a small smile and his eyes lit up when he saw Celeste. Celeste smiled at him warmly.

"Nice to have you back," the Doctor said softly.

Cassandra grit her teeth and flew out of the woman back into Celeste just as the doors closed.

The Doctor glared at Cassandra, once again furious. "That was your last warning, Cassandra!"

Cassandra stared into space, complete unresponsive to his ire. "Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched. And this girl, she's so afraid. She fears she'll be left alone."

The Doctor's gaze softened and he held out his hand to Cassandra. Cassandra looked up at him with tears in her eyes and grabbed his hand.

* * *

The three of them rushed back into Ward 26 only to come to a sudden halt when Frau Clovis lunged at them with a metal stand. The Doctor held up his hands defensively.

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look!"

"Show me your skin," Clovis said shakily.

They all held out their hands. "Look, clean. Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead. So how's it going up here? What's the status?" the Doctor asked.

Clovis lowered the stand with a sigh. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine," the Doctor said swiftly.

"I'm not dying in here," Clovis spat.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There is ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!" the Doctor yelled as he gestured towards the device that Clovis had been using to break the quarantine.

"Not if it gets me out," Clovis said.

"You can't risk millions of people!" Rose cried out, horrified.

"All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Celeste, Rose, Novice Hame, everyone! Excuse me your Grace. Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!"

Everyone jumped into motion and grabbed drip bags, handing them to the Doctor who started binding them together and hanging them on his body. He turned and looked over at Cassandra. "How's that? Will that do?"

Cassandra looked at him in confusion. "I don't know. Will it do for what?"

* * *

The Doctor had gone into the waiting room, Rose and Cassandra behind him as he opened the lift doors.

"The lifts aren't working," Cassandra pointed out.

"Not moving. Different thing. Here we go," he said as he put his sonic screwdriver in his mouth. He took a running leap and grabbed the cable.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked him incredulously.

"I'm going down! Come on," the Doctor called out as he attached equipment to the cable.

Cassandra shook her head vigorously. "Not in a million years." Rose also looked a bit hesitant.

"Doctor, I should probably stay up here. Make sure they don't try to break the quarantine," Rose said. The Doctor looked at her in surprise but nodded.

"Good idea, Rose. Keep them distracted and be careful," the Doctor warned. Rose nodded and gave him a brief smile which he returned. She quickly made her way back into the ward. He looked over at Cassandra and raised an eyebrow.

"I need another pair of hands. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little?" the Doctor said mockingly.

"Seal the door!" Frau Clovis yelled out. The doors slammed shut and the diseased people shuffled towards Cassandra who cried out and leapt onto the Doctor's back.

"You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you," Cassandra shouted.

The Doctor grinned, "Going down!" Cassandra screamed and clung to him as they fell down the shaft. The Doctor laughed and put on the brakes near the bottom so they came to a gentle stop. Cassandra let go of him and shuddered as she glanced up.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight," she said softly.

The Doctor started hooking up various pieces of equipment as he glanced at her. "Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever," he said, nodding towards the lever. He began pouring the contents of the drip bags into the disinfectant tank. Cassandra looked at the lever and nodded hesitantly.

"Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?"

The Doctor grinned, "I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." He dropped down into the lift itself and opened the doors with his sonic screwdriver. He waved at the diseased people who had turned when the lift had opened.

"I'm in here! Come on!" He called out cheerfully.

Cassandra's jaw dropped, "Don't tell them that!"

"Pull the lever!" He shouted up to her. He looked back at the people who had shuffled closer. "Come and get me! Come on!" He held out his arms and smiled. "Hurry up! Come on!" The first of the diseased reached the lift just as the stage one of the disinfection protocol started. The contents of the disinfectant tank poured over him and the humans, curing them. They turned and shuffled off.

"All they want to do is pass it on! Pass it on!" The Doctor cried out cheerfully.

"Pass on what? Doctor? Pass on what?" Cassandra shouted.

"Pass it on!" The Doctor said as he looked up to see Cassandra staring down. He gestured to her and she climbed down. The disinfected humans started touching the diseased humans which cured their symptoms.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?" Cassandra asked him curiously.

The Doctor scowled. "No, that's your way of doing things. I'm the Doctor, and I cured them." He smiled as a woman approached him and hugged him tightly. He squeezed her back with a smile on his face. "That's right. Hey, there we go, sweetheart. Go to him. Go on, that's it. That's it. It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans! Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive. You can't deny them, because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"

* * *

Back in ward 26, Rose had organized all of the nurses off to the side so the police could take them when they came. The quarantine had been formally lifted a short time ago and Rose sighed softly. She had hoped that by staying behind that the Doctor would think better of her.

The Doctor, who was still soaking wet, sauntered in with Cassandra. He waved at Rose cheerfully and gave her a hug with a laugh.

"They're all cured, Rose. It's like Christmas! Only without the usual invasion."

Rose squealed in delight and hugged him back. The Doctor suddenly set her down and turned back to the ward.

"The Face of Boe!"

The three of them rushed down the ward back towards the back. They halted in front of the tank holding and discovered the Face of Boe blinking at them.

"You were supposed to be dying," the Doctor said with a smile.

"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait," the Face of Boe said telepathically. Cassandra's nose wrinkled in annoyance.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face," she muttered.

"Shush!" the Doctor hissed at her.

"I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew," the Face of Boe said softly.

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old," the Doctor said.

"There are? That would be impossible," the Face of Boe said in mild amusement.

"Wouldn't it just. I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me."

"A great secret."

"So the legend says."

"It can wait."

"Oh, does it have to?" the Doctor whined.

The Face of Boe smiled, "We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day." The Face of Boe teleported away and the Doctor slumped in disappointment.

"That is enigmatic. That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic. And now for you," he said to Cassandra, rounding on her.

"But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?" Cassandra begged.

"You've lived long enough. Leave Celeste and end it, Cassandra," the Doctor said grimly.

"I don't want to die!"

"No one does," Rose said softly. "But you can't stay in Celeste."

Cassandra started to cry. "Help me!"

The Doctor shook his head. "I can't."

Chip suddenly rushed into the ward, looking frantically for Cassandra. Upon seeing them, his face lit up. "Mistress!" he cried out as he rushed over. Cassandra looked at him in surprise.

"Oh, you're alive."

"I kept myself safe for you, mistress," Chip said happily. Cassandra eyed him speculatively.

"A body. And not just that, a volunteer," Cassandra said slowly.

"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own," the Doctor threatened.

"But I worship the mistress. I welcome her," Chip said to him.

"You can't, Cassandra, you…" the Doctor stopped and watched as energy flew from Celeste and into Chip. He lunged as Celeste collapsed. "Oh! You all right? Whoa! Okay?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and steadied her as she tried to stand. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him.

"Yes, hi," she said softly.

He grinned, "Hello. Welcome back." She smiled back at him and he slowly dropped his arms, still watching her closely in case she looked like she was going to collapse again. Rose eyed Celeste closely for a moment before turning her attention to Cassandra.

Cassandra looked at her new arms in horror, "Oh, sweet lord. I'm a walking doodle!"

The Doctor frowned at her, "You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hate, but I'm afraid we don't have much time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last…" Cassandra trailed off as she fell to her knees suddenly. The Doctor and Rose rushed to her side while Celeste hung back, looking at Cassandra with pity.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm fine. I'm dying but that's fine," Cassandra said softly.

"We can take you to the city," Rose said with a glance at the Doctor. The Doctor nodded his head in agreement.

Cassandra shook her head with a faint smile. "No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."

"Doctor, I know what we should do," Celeste whispered sadly. He looked at her and their eyes met. He helped Cassandra up and Rose gripped his other arm as they helped her into the TARDIS.

* * *

Celeste sighed heavily as she rubbed her temple distractedly. She had opted not to go out with The Doctor, Rose and Cassandra since she didn't need to watch the last few breaths of Cassandra. She walked down a corridor towards her room and sent a silent thanks to the TARDIS who lead her straight to it. The TARDIS hummed at her affectionately, causing her to smile.

She plopped onto her bed and didn't even realize her actions as she picked up the fob watch and started turning it over in her hands. Her eyes grew heavy as she heard faint whispers in her mind.

"_Not yet… Keep me hidden… Stay by his side… Protect him… Protect the Time Lord…"_

She jumped and dropped the watch at the sound of a knock on her door. She shifted the blankets and she shook her head to clear the sudden fog. "Come in," she called out.

The Doctor peeked his head in and walked into the room. "I just wanted to check on you and make sure there were no lingering problems from Cassandra's time in your mind."

She nodded and waved him over. He sat down on the edge of the bed a bit stiffly and held out his hands hesitantly. "May I?"

She grabbed his hands and placed them on her head with a small smile. He stared into her eyes as he allowed his telepathy to brush over her mind gently. Her eyes twinkled in amusement and she abruptly grabbed his hands, pulling them away. "I didn't give you permission to dig for information, Doctor."

He threw her an offended look but his eyes still sparkled, "Me? Never, I would never do that."

She laughed and shook her head. Her laughter died as she looked at him sadly, "She's gone then, yes?"

He nodded, his own laughter dying. They sat quietly for a few minutes as they relived the past few hours. Another knock on the door made them both look up in surprise.

"Celeste? Is the Doctor in there?" Rose called from behind the door. The Doctor jumped up from the bed and swiftly made his way to the door, pulling it open to reveal a startled looking Rose.

"You two go ahead and plan our next adventure. I'm going to take a brief nap, my head still hurts a bit from earlier," Celeste said as she tugged off her sandals.

"You sure?" the Doctor asked her in concern.

Celeste glanced at Rose and nodded, "Positive! Off you go!"

Rose looked at Celeste gratefully before grabbing the Doctor's hand and tugging him out of the room. He threw one last concerned glance at Celeste before the door shut behind him. Celeste sighed and moved her hands through the blankets to grab the watch. She looked at it with a slight frown before shrugging and putting it back into the drawer in the side table. She laid down and closed her eyes. The last thing she heard before she drifted off were more whispers.

"_Soon, Time Lady…"_


	16. School Reunion

AN: Another chapter! I'm skipping Tooth and Claw so I can get straight to Sarah Jane. Then I'm going to do something a bit different for a few episodes and then we'll get to more fun stuff! Woo! Also, still playing TS4 so I'm going to be updating slower. Sorry! Also, please note that this story is rated M sooo I may start escalating situations a bit. Maybe. I also didn't realize how long this chapter was until I finished and I was too lazy to cut it into two parts. Sorry again!

* * *

Rose and the Doctor stumbled into the TARDIS laughing at their most recent escapade. Celeste climbed in after them with a faint smile as she shut the door behind her. She couldn't help but feel mildly relieved that the Doctor and Rose were getting along much better now. Sure, she was mildly jealous but she knew that the relationship between the Doctor and Rose was rather important. Besides, Rose wasn't _that_ bad… Mostly.

"I can't believe that they're werewolves! That's bloody brilliant!" Rose laughed. The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. He looked back at the door and winked at Celeste before turning back to the TARDIS console. Celeste made her way to the console as well, Rose still chortling. The Doctor threw the TARDIS into motion and they were soon floating again through space.

"So! Where to now?" Rose asked after her laughter had finally died away.

The Doctor hummed, "Well, so many options. Any requests?"

Celeste opened her mouth but stopped herself upon hearing the phone in her pocket start to ring. She raised an eyebrow and pulled it out, looking at it curiously. Flipping it open, she answered it swiftly.

"Hello?"

Her brows raised, "Mickey? Why are you calling me?"

Rose looked at her in confusion and dug in her own pockets for her phone. She let out a sigh and shrugged helplessly when she was unable to find it. The Doctor snorted and Rose through him a fake glare to which he just smiled innocently. Celeste waved at hand at them, annoyed.

"Yeah, Rose left her phone on the TARDIS and we just got back. So what's going on? Did you want to talk to Rose?" She paused for a moment and a thoughtful frown came on her face. The Doctor stepped around the console and pushed his head next to hers to try to hear what Mickey was saying. Celeste gave him an irritated look that he just ignored.

"Well if you're sure something is going on, we can come by to investigate. We'll be there soon. Yep, bye Mickey." Celeste pushed the Doctor away from her and clicked the phone shut.

"What did Mickey want?" Rose asked curiously.

"He needs our help. Something about some strange occurrences at a school. We need to head back to Earth," Celeste said. The Doctor had already started putting in coordinates at the console.

"Looks like the next adventure is decided! Allons-y!" The Doctor yelled cheerfully, pulling the last lever that threw the TARDIS into motion. Celeste and Rose clung to the console as everything shook, the Doctor merely dancing around the console in excitement.

"We're going to need some credentials to get into the school!" Celeste yelled over the engines.

"Credentials? What for?" Rose shouted back.

The Doctor grinned, "Already on it. The TARDIS will take care of everything!"

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?!" Rose yelled in aggravation. Celeste was about to answer her when the TARDIS gave a particularly vicious shake and all they could do was cling to the console until they had reached their destination.

* * *

Celeste studied the class list that she had been given the day before. For two days, the Doctor, Celeste and Rose had been investigating Deffry Vale High School after Mickey had called them for help. Of course, she knew exactly what they should be looking for but she didn't want to give anything away, despite the Doctor's none too subtle prodding after the first day. His impatience to solve the puzzle made him extremely persistent if nothing else.

The identities that the TARDIS had created for them had been amusing to say the least. The Doctor naturally made certain to get a job as a Physics teacher, Celeste was given a spot as a Music teacher and Rose, well, poor Rose was a lunch lady. The look on Rose's face when she'd been given her information had been very comical.

Celeste flipped through a few of the pieces of music that the previous music teacher had selected for the class prior to winning a surprise trip to Spain. Most of the pieces were simple and relatively boring. She looked up at the students who were idly tuning their instruments and chatting with their neighbors. She set down the sheet music and let out a sigh.

"Okay, your previous teacher left a few pieces of sheet music here for you to start practicing with. However I would like to know your skills first. Do I have any volunteers to play something?"

There was silence throughout the room and one student raised his hand. She nodded to him and he stood up.

"What's your name?" She asked with a smile.

"Kevin. I can play anything?" He asked tentatively.

She nodded again, "Yes, of course. Whatever you'd like. This is just so I can get a better understanding of you as a musician. Play something that means something to you."

Kevin nodded and picked up the bow to his cello. He set it on the strings and began to play a piece by Bach. Celeste's eyes widened as he played the song. It seemed that the abilities the kids developed was more than just math and science related. The piece he was playing, nearly perfectly, was incredibly complicated even for the most accomplished of cellists. She sighed as she realized that once they were through, he may not have the ability to play like this again.

Her eyes caught movement by the door and she looked over to see the Headmaster leering at her from the door's window. She nodded to him politely and quickly focused back onto Kevin as he finished the piece. The few times she had seen him around he was always staring at her and it gave her the creeps. Didn't help that she knew he was a giant bat. Shaking her head lightly, she clapped along with the class and frowned thoughtfully.

* * *

The Doctor strolled into the Physics room and looked at the students curiously.

"Good morning, class. Are we sitting comfortably?" He asked as he wrote his name on the board. He turned around and surveyed the children. Rubbing his hands together, he walked around the desk and leaned against it.

"So! Physics. Physics eh? Physics. Physics. Physics! Physics. Physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics." He paused and peered at the children a bit nervously. "I hope one of you is getting all this down. Okay, let's see what you know. Two identical strips of nylon are charged with static electricity and hung from a string so they can swing freely. What would happen if they were brought near each other?"

A boy with glasses raised his hand.

"Yes, er, what's your name?" The Doctor asked him with a nod.

"Milo."

"Milo! Off you go!"

"They'd repel each other because they have the same charge."

"Correctamundo! A word I have never used before and hopefully never will again. Question two! I coil up a thin piece of microwire and place it in a glass of water. Then I turn on the electricity and measure to see if the water's temperature is affected. My question is this. How do I measure the electrical power going into the coil?"

The Doctor looks around the room expectantly and is disappointed to see blank faces staring at him. Only Milo had his hand raised in the air.

"Someone else. No? Okay, Milo, go for it."

"Measure the current and PDs in an ammeter and a voltmeter."

"Two to Milo. Right then, Milo, tell me this. True or false. The greater the dampening of the system, the quicker it loses energy to its surroundings."

"False."

The Doctor leaned forward a bit with narrowed eyes.

"What is non-coding DNA?"

"DNA that doesn't code for a protein."

"Sixty five thousand nine hundred and eighty three times five?"

"Three hundred and twenty nine thousand nine hundred and fifteen."

"How do you travel faster than light?"

"By opening a quantum tunnel with an FTL factor of thirty six point seven recurring."

The Doctor's jaw dropped as he stared at Milo. The rest of the class looked completely uninterested.

* * *

The Doctor and Celeste stood in the lunch line suppressing their laughter as Rose plopped mash onto the trays. She glared at the two of them as she put some on their trays and they grinned at each as they went to a nearby table.

"Poor Rose. She looks miserable," Celeste said, her lips twitching.

The Doctor chuckled, "Yes she does. Too bad we don't know what's causing the kids to be exceedingly smart beyond Earth's knowledge." He gave her a pointed look. Celeste blinked at him before smiling.

"Nice try. No spoilers," Celeste said dryly.

He pouted and picked at the food on his tray, grumbling under his breath as well. Rose wandered over and started wiping down their table.

"Two days," Rose muttered.

The Doctor wink at Celeste before pointing to a spot on the table. "Sorry, could you just? There's a bit of gravy. No, no, just, just there." The Doctor smirked as Rose angrily rubbed at the non-existent spot. Celeste's shoulders shook with her suppressed laughter.

"Two days, we've been here," Rose continued angrily.

"Blame your boyfriend. He's the one who put us onto this. And he was right. Boy in class this morning, got a knowledge way beyond planet Earth," the Doctor said, his amusement dying away.

Celeste nodded in agreement, "I had a kid play a piece by Bach today that was almost as flawless as a few professionals. The entire class was filled with musical prodigies."

Rose frowned and sat down next to them. She pointed at the chips on both their trays that were untouched. "You eating those chips?"

Celeste shoved the tray towards Rose, her nose wrinkled in distaste, "All yours."

"Yeah, they're a bit different," the Doctor said as he inspected one with a frown.

Rose popped one in her mouth and moaned in delight, "I think they're gorgeous. Wish I had school dinners like this."

"It's very well behaved, this place," the Doctor said nonchalantly as he looked around.

"Yes, the kids in my class haven't misbehaved at all. It's a little too polite," Celeste said as she eyed a few students. The Doctor's gaze flit over to her for a moment and he eyed her critically. His eyes swept back over the students and he chuckled in mild amusement. Celeste looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're right though. I thought there'd be happy slapping hoodies. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones. Huh? Huh? Oh, yeah. Don't tell me I don't fit it."

Celeste shook her head at him and Rose munched on another fry happily. Another lunch lady marched over and put her hands on her hips, glaring at Rose.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting," she hissed.

"I was just talking to these teachers," Rose said defensively.

"Hello!" The Doctor said with a cheerful smile. Celeste nodded politely.

"They don't like the chips," Rose said.

"The menus has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance. Now, get back to work," she snapped and then she stomped away.

Rose sighed and stood up. "See? This is me. Dinner lady."

"I'll have the crumble," the Doctor said, eyes twinkling.

"I'm so going to kill you," she muttered before stalking away. Celeste and the Doctor both chuckled. Celeste glanced around and noted a teacher pulling a couple of students out of the lunch room. She looked up to the balcony and saw the headmaster overseeing everyone.

"Doctor," she whispered. He looked at her and she nodded her head towards the balcony. He turned his head and his eyes narrowed on the headmaster.

"We're coming back tonight," the Doctor said under his breath. Celeste nodded in agreement and they both left the lunch room, the headmaster's gaze following them the entire way.

* * *

The Doctor and Celeste were both sitting in the staff room so they could get more intel on the happenings of the school.

"Yesterday, I had a twelve year old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy in cubits," one teacher told them in a hushed whisper.

"And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?" The Doctor asked her curiously.

The teacher nodded, "Finch arrived three months ago. Next day, half the staff got the flu. Finch replaced them with that lot, except for the teachers you two replaced, and that was just plain weird, one winning the lottery and the other a trip to Spain."

"How's that weird?" Celeste asked softly.

"Well, she never played the lottery. Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight. And he never entered drawings, always swore that they were the most useless things."

The Doctor looked over at Celeste with a coy smile, "Hmm. The world is very strange." Celeste bit back a laugh. The teacher nodded in agreement. They all turned when the door opened and Finch walked in with another woman. Celeste glanced at the Doctor out of the corner of her eye and inwardly smiled as his eyes lit up in excitement.

"Excuse me, colleagues. A moment of your time," Finch said politely. "May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." He nodded politely to Sarah Jane and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Sarah Jane stood awkwardly in front of them. "Hello," she said with a tense smile.

"Oh, I should think so," the Doctor said excitedly. Celeste chuckled at his enthusiasm.

Sarah Jane looked at him in surprise, "And, you are?"

"Hmm? Er, Smith. John Smith," the Doctor said quickly. Celeste nodded her head politely to Sarah Jane.

"I'm Celeste Smith. Pleasure to meet you."

"Smith? Are you two married then?" Sarah Jane asked curiously, noting how close they were standing next to each other.

The Doctor turned bright red while Celeste barely managed to bite back a sharp bark of laughter. "No, we're not married. Just a strange coincidence is all."

"Yes, not married. Definitely not. No," the Doctor stammered, still quite flustered.

Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow at him, "John Smith. I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name?"

The Doctor blinked at her before smiling, "Well, it's a very common name."

"He was a very uncommon man. Nice to meet you both," Sarah said wryly as she stuck out a hand.

The Doctor enthusiastically shook her hand, "Nice to meet you. Yes, very nice. More than nice. Brilliant."

"Er, so, um, have you worked here long?" Sarah Jane asked after he had dropped her hand. The Doctor stared at her intently and made no move to answer her question. Celeste rolled her eyes and chimed in.

"No, both of us started yesterday."

"Oh, you're new, then. So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum? So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile," the Doctor said as he continued to stare at her.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here," Sarah Jane said, her face flushing slightly.

The Doctor grinned widely, "No. Good for you." Sarah Jane eyed him warily before slowly moving to another teacher. The Doctor followed her with his eyes, which had grown soft. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith."

He dragged Celeste out of the staff lounge and looked around briefly to ensure they were alone. "You knew! And you didn't tell me!" He exclaimed with a wave of his arms.

Celeste smiled and shrugged, "I didn't want to spoil the surprise. I knew you'd be happy to see her."

He yanked her into a tight hug and let her go just as swiftly, "Brilliant. Sarah Jane Smith!" He dashed down the hall occasionally laughing crazily.

Celeste let out a breath at his extreme enthusiasm before walking down the hall at a much more calm pace.

* * *

That evening, Rose, Mickey, the Doctor and Celeste had all wandered back into school quite easily since the TARDIS was conveniently in a storeroom. Rose looked around and shuddered, rubbing her arms as if to ward off a chill.

"Oh, it's weird seeing a school at night. It just feels wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school," she muttered softly.

The Doctor ignored her statement and immediately took charge, "All right, team. Oh, I hate people who say team. Er, gang. Um, comrades. Anyway, Rose, go to the kitchen. Get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Math teachers. Go and check out the Math department. Celeste and I are going to investigate Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes." He whirled around and swiftly walked down the hall, Celeste on his heels.

Rose frowned after them before turning to Mickey, "You going to be all right?"

"Me? Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm an expert at this," Mickey scoffed. He walked down a corridor but returned moments later looking a bit sheepish. "Where's the Math department?"

Rose chuckled, "Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, on the right."

Mickey nodded, "Thank you." He took off down the hall and Rose quickly ran off to the kitchens.

* * *

Sarah Jane snuck down a corridor and approached a storeroom door. She opened it slowly and gasped upon seeing the TARDIS inside. She touched the outside of it reverently, unaware of the Doctor and Celeste approaching her from behind.

"Hello, Sarah Jane," the Doctor said softly with a smile.

Sarah Jane whipped around and her eyes widened, "It's you. Oh, Doctor. Oh, my god, it's you, isn't it. You've regenerated."

"Yeah. Half a dozen times since we last met," he said in amusement.

"You look incredible!"

"So do you."

"Huh. I got old. What are you doing here"

"Well, UFO sighting, school gets record results. I couldn't resist. What about you?"

"The same. I thought you'd died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must have died," Sarah Jane said, her tone accusing.

"I lived. Everyone else died," he replied starkly.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone died, Sarah."

"I can't believe it's you," she breathed out. They all jumped upon hearing a scream from down the corridor.

"Okay, now I can!" Sarah Jane said dryly. The Doctor threw her a grin just as Rose ran up to them.

"Did you hear that? Who's she?" She asked rudely upon seeing Sarah Jane.

"Rose, Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane, Rose. And you've already met Celeste."

"Hi. Nice to meet you. And you, again. You can tell you're getting older. Your assistants are getting younger," Sarah Jane said in a clipped voice.

Celeste raised an eyebrow in amusement while Rose looked offended by the statement.

"I'm not his assistant," Rose snapped out.

Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor who had run a hand through his hair in nervousness. He kept moving down the hall towards the scream and said nothing.

The found Mickey a few minutes later surrounded by bagged rats. He waved his arms at them apologetically. "Sorry! Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I started looking through some of these cupboards and all these fell on me."

Rose looked at the rats in horror, "Oh, my god, they're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats."

The Doctor looked at Mickey in amusement, "And you decided to scream."

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey said defensively.

"Like a little girl?" Celeste teased. He threw her an annoyed look.

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!"

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt," The Doctor said as he leaned over to whisper loudly to Celeste. She covered her mouth to hide the smile.

"Hello, can we focus?" Rose snapped out. "Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in a school?"

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons. They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?" Sarah Jane asked sarcastically.

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore. They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?" Rose asked rudely.

"If they were being used for dissection then it would make more sense to keep them stored near the Biology classrooms. This storeroom is closest to the Math classrooms. Given that the teachers that were replaced three months ago were all Math teachers, I would wager a guess that these aren't necessarily used for dissection," Celeste said smoothly. The Doctor gave her a fond look. Sarah Jane looked at Celeste in surprise and her eyebrows raised further when she noticed the look the Doctor was giving the young woman. Rose smirked at Sarah Jane in triumph.

"Oh Celeste, always so clever. Anyway, moving on. Everything started when Mister Finch arrived. We should go and check his office," the Doctor said swiftly. He left the classroom and marched towards Finch's office.

Sarah Jane and Rose followed him quickly as they eyed each other.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asked.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor," Sarah Jane said proudly.

"Oh. Well, he's never mentioned you," Rose said nonchalantly. Celeste rolled her eyes behind them and Mickey looked between the two nervously. The Doctor coughed awkwardly.

"Oh, I must've. Sarah Jane. Mention her all the time," he squeaked out.

"Hold on," Rose pretended to think for a moment. "Sorry. Never."

Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor incredulously, "What, not even once? He didn't mention me even once?"

Mickey chortled, "Ho, ho, mate. The missus and the ex. Welcome to every man's worst nightmare." Celeste snickered beside him and the Doctor's face flushed ahead of them. The Doctor hastily pulled out his sonic screwdriver on the lock of Finch's office.

"Celeste may have been correct. Maybe those rats were food," the Doctor muttered to himself.

"Food for what?" Rose asked in confusion.

The Doctor opened the door and came to an abrupt stop. "Rose, you know you used to think all the teachers slept in the school? Well, they do," the Doctor said softly. They all looked up in shock at the large bats hanging from the ceiling.

"No way!" Mickey exclaimed in shock. He ran away down the hallway as the Doctor slowly closed the door. The others followed after Mickey at a much calmer pace.

* * *

"I am not going back in there. No way," Mickey said fearfully as he paced in the school yard.

"Those were teachers," Rose said in disbelief.

Celeste nodded distractedly, "Looked like thirteen of them."

"When Finch arrived, he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people. Come on," the Doctor said as he turned to go back into the school. Mickey looked at him, horrified.

"Come on? You've got to be kidding!"

"I need the TARDIS. I've got to analyse that oil from the kitchen," the Doctor said with a distracted wave.

"I might be able to help you there. I've got something to show you," Sarah Jane said as she pulled out her car keys. The Doctor turned and looked at her in surprise. Celeste bit her lip and smiled in excitement.

* * *

Sarah Jane fumbled with her keys before sticking them into the boot of her car. She popped it open and the Doctor gasped in delight. Celeste grinned, happy that the Doctor was able to meet so many old friends.

"K9! Celeste Smith, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, allow me to introduce K9. Well, K9 Mark Three to be precise," the Doctor said reverently as he ran a hand along the body of the machine dog.

"Why does he look so disco?" Rose asked skeptically.

"Oi! Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge. What's happened to him?" He asked Sarah Jane with a small frown.

"Well, it's not like getting parts for a Mini Metro. Besides, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone," Sarah Jane said sadly.

The Doctor stroked the metal dog with a small pout on his face. "Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you, eh?"

Celeste frowned and glanced up at the sky, suddenly feeling as if she was being watched. Seeing nothing, she turned her attention back to the Doctor who was still stroking the machine dog. Rose crossed her arms and scowled.

"Look, no offense, but could you two just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog. We're busy," Rose said in irritation. The Doctor pouted at her but stopped petting K9 for the moment.

"Perhaps we should go somewhere a little less open to discuss all of this, yes?" Celeste whispered softly. The Doctor looked at her and nodded in agreement.

* * *

Shortly after, they had all gathered in a coffee shop to reorganize their thoughts. The Doctor and Sarah Jane had put K9 on a table and were poking at it while chatting. Rose, Mickey, and Celeste were by the counter discussing the new addition to the team.

"You see, what's impressive is that it's been nearly an hour since we met her and I still haven't said I told you so," Mickey drawled. Celeste choked on the bottle of water she had been drinking from. The Doctor looked up in mild concern and she waved a hand at him. He shrugged and went back to K9. Rose scowled at the Doctor and Sarah Jane, clearly in a funk about the whole situation.

"I'm not listening to this," Rose muttered.

Mickey looked around Rose at Celeste who was actively trying not to burst into laughter. He smirked at her before looking back at Rose. "Although, I have prepared a little, I was right, dance that I can show you later," Mickey continued.

The woman at the counter pushed a small plate of chips across to Rose, "Two quid, love."

Rose dug into her pocket and forked over the money, grabbing the chips angrily and shoving a few into her mouth.

"All this time you've been giving it, he's different, when the truth is, he's just like any other bloke," Mickey said in amusement.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Rose said through a mouthful of chips.

Mickey shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe not. But if I were you I'd go easy on the chips." Rose paused and looked down at the mostly eaten plate of chips and glared at Mickey. Celeste smiled and took another sip of her water, going over by a booth near the window to relax until the Doctor fixed K9.

* * *

Finch stood across from the shop watching the Doctor work on K9. He looked up at the sky and called out, "Come to me. Come to me."

A giant alien bat flew over to him and he smirked at it before turning his gaze back to the shop.

* * *

Sarah Jane watched the Doctor silently as he worked on K9. "I thought of you on Christmas Day. This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead. I thought, oh yeah, bet he's up there," she said softly with a gentle smile.

"Right on top of it, yeah," the Doctor said absentmindedly.

"And Celeste? And Rose?"

"They were there too."

She nodded and bit her lip. "Did I do something wrong, because you never came back for me. You just dumped me," Sarah Jane said hesitantly.

He stopped for a second in his work and then continued on. "I told you. I was called back home and in those days humans weren't allowed."

"I waited for you. I missed you."

"Oh, you didn't need me. You were getting on with your life."

"You were my life. You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, or with what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles, and then you just dropped me back on Earth. How could anything compare to that?"

"All those things you saw, do you want me to apologize for that?"

"No, but we get a taste of that splendor and then we have to go back."

The Doctor set down his screwdriver and looked at Sarah, his eyes tired but they still sparkled with warmth. "Look at you, you're investigating. You found that school. You're doing what we always did."

"You could have come back."

His face froze and he turned back to K9 again. "I couldn't."

"Why not?"

The Doctor continued to work on K9, remaining silent in the wake of her question. Sarah tapped the table impatiently.

"It wasn't Croydon. Where you dropped me off, that wasn't Croydon."

He paused and looked at her in confusion. "Where was it?"

"Aberdeen," she said flatly.

He flashed her a look of guilt, "Right. That's next to Croydon, isn't it?" Before Sarah could retort K9 came back to life with a spark. "Oh, hey! Now we're in business." The Doctor looked at K9 excitedly as Rose, Mickey and Celeste wandered over.

"Master!" K9 said happily.

"He recognizes me!" the Doctor exclaimed with a grin.

"Affirmative!"

"Rose, give us the oil," the Doctor said, gesturing wildly. Rose rolled her eyes and handed him the small vial. He opened it and went to dig his finger in it but Rose stopped him.

"I wouldn't touch it. That dinner lady got all scorched when it poured on her," she told him.

He scoffed and dug his finger in the oil, "I'm no dinner lady. And I don't often say that." He smeared the oil onto K9's probe. "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go."

"Oil. Ex-ex-ex-extract. Ana-ana-analyzing," K9 stuttered out as he processed the oil.

"Listen to him, man. That's a voice," Mickey chortled. Celeste smacked his arm and Sarah threw him a dirty look.

"Careful. That's my dog."

"Confirmation of analysis. Substance is Krillitane Oil," K9 chirped out happily.

The Doctor's brow furrowed as a look of realization dawned on his face. "They're Krillitanes," he breathed out.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked slowly.

He grew grim, "Very. Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad."

"I have a pretty good imagination, so that's pretty bad," Celeste said dryly.

"And what are Krillitanes?" Sarah asked curiously.

"They're a composite race. Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by. You've got bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever. The Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well. They cherry pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognize them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks," the Doctor rambled.

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked.

"It's the children… They're doing something to the children," the Doctor said tersely.

* * *

Celeste looked out the window as Sarah Jane and Mickey hauled K9 back into Sarah Jane's car. She smiled slightly as a horrified look formed on Mickey's face. He must have just come to the conclusion that he was the tin dog. The Doctor and Rose approached her from behind and she smiled at them, pushing the door open.

Finch smiled evilly as he watched the three of them come out of the shop. He looked at the creature next to him. "On my command. And bring me the girl. She smells… Different than the others."

Rose looked at the Doctor, her mouth drawn in a piqued frown. "How many of us have there been traveling with you?" She asked the Doctor firmly.

"Does it matter?" He responded a bit anxiously. He glanced over at Celeste who was following them discreetly as she pretended to not be listening to the conversation.

"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line," Rose said indignantly.

"As opposed to what?"

"I thought you and me were… I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?" Rose said bitterly.

He sighed and glanced back at Celeste again, who looked at him with a compassion and understanding. His eyes softened as he looked at her, "No. Not with you."

"But Sarah Jane?" Rose continued, oblivious to the where the Doctor's eyes were in her irritation. "You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?"

He sighed deeply, "I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you…" He trailed off and swallowed thickly.

Rose stopped and looked at him, eyes searching, "What, Doctor?"

"You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone That's the curse of the Time Lords," he said softly, his eyes resting on Celeste for a moment.

"Time Lord," Finch sneered. The Doctor's head jerked up and spotted Finch above them. A giant bat swooped down, causing Rose and the Doctor both duck. Celeste gasped and felt something grab her from behind. She let out a small scream and began to struggle as the Krillitane hauled her further up into the air.

The Doctor looked up as Celeste was taken by the Krillitane. "Celeste!" He shouted, his hearts pounding in his chest. Celeste looked down at him, her eyes terrified. He could only watch in growing despair as the Krillitane took her higher and away.

"Was that a Krillitane? Why did it take her?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.

The Doctor looked up at the sky, his body tense with his building rage. "The reason is irrelevant. They will regret ever involving her."

Sarah Jane looked at him, noticing the intense rage and raw concern on his face. Understanding coursed through her as she remembered the gestures and looks he had given her throughout the day. She smiled sadly as her heart broke a little but she quickly shook her head and focused on the present. The Doctor was pacing angrily, talking about storming the castle, so to speak.

"Doctor, they'll all be waiting for us to do that. We're better off waiting until morning at least so we can form a solid plan," Sarah Jane said soothingly. His jaw clenched and he nodded tersely, stalking off into the night with Rose and Mickey close behind.

* * *

Celeste gasped as she was dropped onto the roof of the school and groaned at pain shooting up her legs. She barely had time to comprehend what was happening before she was yanked up and held in place by two of the dinner ladies. She looked up and glared at Finch who smirked at her.

"What do you want, Finch," she bit out angrily, trying to mask her growing fear.

Finch smiled at her and nodded to the ladies holding her. They dragged Celeste forward until she was about a foot from him. She tried to shrink away but he reached out and grabbed her jaw tightly.

"You are unlike the others," he hissed out. Her eyes widened and she flinched as she felt his grip bruising her jaw. She pressed her lips together and glared at him, deciding to remain silent.

He grinned and looked at the women holding her, "Bring her to my office. Make sure she is, comfortable." He released her jaw and stood to the side as she was dragged down into the school.

* * *

The Doctor watched silently as the children piled into the school. He was rigid as his eyes scanned the windows for any sign of Celeste, although he knew she'd be hidden somewhere in the school. He whirled around and addressed Rose, Mickey and Sarah Jane.

"Rose and Sarah, you go to the math rooms. Crack open those computers. I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." He dug into his pocket and pulled out his screwdriver. Rose held out her hand expectantly but he gave it to Sarah instead. Rose looked at him in shock and hurt before dropping her hand.

"Mickey, surveillance. I want you outside," he said firmly as he continued to stare at the building.

"Just, stand outside?" Mickey said dubiously.

"Here, take these. You can keep K9 company," Sarah Jane said, handing out her car keys. Mickey took them reluctantly and started to walk towards the car.

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack!" the Doctor said loudly.

Mickey scowled, "But he's metal!"

"I didn't mean for him," the Doctor drawled in amusement. Mickey huffed and stalked to the car.

Rose looked at the Doctor in concern, "What're you going to do?"

His face grew serious and his eyes darkened, "It's time I had a word with Mister Finch."

* * *

Finch sat in his chair and idly watched Celeste struggle against the straps that held her against the wall. "You may as well cease, my dear. You won't be getting out of those anytime soon."

Celeste stopped and looked at him, "What do you want?"

He sat up and opened a drawer, pulling out a letter opener. He stalked towards her and played with the knife idly. She eyed him warily as he approached her. "Tell me," he said slowly. "What are you?"

Her eyes shot from the knife to his face. "What?" she asked in confusion. His eyes narrowed and he ran the blade along her throat and down to the front of her blouse, cutting the first button.

"You heard me. You look human but you smell…" He paused and leaned forward, burying his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. She stiffened and she whimpered fearfully. He pulled back and eyed her, cutting another button on her blouse. "You don't smell entirely human. But it's subtle. Like you're hiding it. So tell me, what are you?"

"I-I am human. I was born on Earth, I swear," she choked out through the tears that had formed in her eyes.

He hissed at her and cut another button, her black, lacy bra now visible. He ran the blade down her throat and tapped it against her sternum. "You know, normally I avoid such barbaric items but I felt it was appropriate given my current status. It would be in your best interest to tell me what you are. I find myself fascinated," he murmured.

She bit her lip and turned her head away, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. He hummed idly and pressed the tip of the knife into her sternum, a drop of blood forming on the blade. She closed her eyes tightly and let out a low gasp. Finch pulled the blade away and licked the tip of the blade, closing his eyes as he tasted her blood. "Yes, definitely something hidden underneath," he said softly. Blood continued to drip from the cut down between the valley of her breasts as she silently sobbed.

A knock at the door snapped him out of his revelry and he took a step back from her. "Enter."

The door swung open to reveal one of the math teachers, "They're here."

"Fine. Notify the others. I'll take care of the Time Lord myself," Finch said curtly. The teacher nodded and left, shutting the door behind her. Finch sighed and looked at Celeste, "It seems we'll have to continue this later."

Celeste sniffed and slowly raised her head to glare at him through watery eyes, "He'll stop you. You'll regret every crossing him."

Finch leered at her and deftly cut the rest of the buttons on her blouse. She tensed and looked at him with trepidation. He reached his free hand towards her face and ran it gently down her neck, past her breast and down her waist where he stopped his exploration. "Until later, my dear."

He dropped his hand and left the letter opener on his desk before leaving his office, the door locking behind him. Celeste let her head drop and her tears flowed freely as she sobbed.

* * *

The Doctor glared at Finch from where he stood on the opposite side of the pool. Finch smirked at him confidently.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"My name is Brother Lassa. And you?" Finch said smoothly.

"The Doctor. Since when did Krillitanes have wings?"

"It's been our form for nearly ten generations now. Our ancestors invaded Bessan. The people there had some rather lovely wings. They made a million widows in one day. Just imagine."

"And now you're shaped human."

"My brothers remain bat form. What you see is a simple morphic illusion. Scratch the surface and the true Krillitane lies beneath. And what of the Time Lords? I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators, so frightened of change and chaos. And of course, they're all but extinct. Only you. The last. Or are you?"

The Doctor scowled at him. "This plan of yours. What is it?"

"You don't know?" Finch asked in amused surprise. The Doctor's jaw visibly clenched.

"That's why I'm asking," he snapped out.

"Well, show me how clever you are. Work it out."

"Where is Celeste? Why have you taken her? If she's hurt, then it won't matter what you're planning because I will destroy you," he said viciously.

"She is not your concern. Although, it's fascinating. Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?"

"I'm so old now. I used to have so much mercy. You get one warning. That was it."

"But we're not even enemies. Soon you will embrace us, as will she. The next time we meet, you will join me. I promise you," Finch said smugly. The Doctor looked at him in fury before leaving the pool.

* * *

Sarah sighed as she made almost no progress with the computer she was fiddling with. "It's not working," she mumbled.

Rose held out her hand, "Give it to me." Sarah Jane handed her the screwdriver and Rose immediately went to work on the computer. Sarah Jane smiled sadly as words began flying across the screen as Rose worked.

"Used to work first time in my day," Sarah Jane lamented.

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then."

Sarah Jane looked at her carefully. "Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?"

"I've got a feeling you're about to," Rose muttered under her breath.

"I know how, intense, a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I want you to be careful about how attached you get to him," Sarah said slowly. Her mind flashed to the Doctor's concern for the other young woman.

"I don't feel threatened by you, if that's what you mean."

"Right. Yes, that's what I mean. I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."

"No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?" Rose asked snidely. Sarah resisted the urge to roll her eyes and point out the obvious to the blonde; that the young auburn haired woman had the Doctor completely enraptured.

"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth," Sarah said calmly.

"The thing is, when you two met they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for you."

"I had no problem with the _space stuff_. I saw things you wouldn't believe."

Rose snorted. "Try me."

"Mummies."

"I've met ghosts."

"Slitheen, in Downing Street."

"Daleks!"

"Met the Emperor."

"Anti-matter monsters."

"Gas masked zombies."

"Real living dinosaurs."

"Real living werewolf."

"The Loch Ness Monster!"

Rose's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" They looked at each other and smiled. "Listen to us. It's like me and my mate Shireen. The only time we fell out was over a man, and we're arguing over the Doctor. With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like, ninety miles per hour, and you'd go, what? And he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on his shirt?"

Sarah laughed, "All the time! Does he still stroke bits of the TARDIS?"

"Yeah! Yeah, he does. I'm like, do you two want to be alone?" They both start laughing hysterically. The Doctor swept into the room and came to a halt upon seeing them laughing.

"How it going?" he asked curiously. They stop laughing to look at him for a moment and then burst back into laughter. He looked at them warily, "What? Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these and then find Celeste." They start laughing harder much to his chagrin. "What? Stop it!"

* * *

Finch opened the door to his office and found the dinner ladies and teachers inside. They were crowded around Celeste and he snapped at them harshly to back off. They did so, albeit reluctantly, to reveal Celeste who was panting and grimacing in pain. She had several more scratches on her torso, her shirt was ripped and one of her bra straps had been broken. Finch scowled at them in irritation.

"Leave my catch alone. It's time to initiate the final phase. Get the children inside and seal the school. Our time has come, my brothers. Today we shall become Gods."

Rose gently shoved several children away from the IT room, "No, no. This classroom's out of bounds. You've all got to go to the South Hall. Off you go. South Hall!" They reluctantly turned and walked away, Rose sighing in relief. She went back into the classroom and smiled at the sight of the Doctor who had looped wires around his neck and shoulders as he dug into the computer tower.

He sighed, "I can't shift it."

Sarah frowned, "I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything?"

"Anything except a deadlock seal. There's got to be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?" He muttered. Suddenly, the screens turn on and symbols flash on them rapidly. They all stared at the screens curiously.

"You wanted the program? There it is," Sarah said wryly.

"Some sort of code," he muttered softly. His eyes widened as the symbols start to change rapidly. "No. No, that can't be."

Rose looked at him, "What?"

"The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm," he breathed out in horror.

"The Skasis what?" Sarah asked in confusion.

"The God maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."

"And the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor nodded grimly as he set down the wires.

"Yes. And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens, it works as a… As a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."

Rose's face grew horrified, "But the oil's on the chips. I've been eating them."

He looked at her, "What's fifty nine times thirty five?"

"Two thousand and sixty five. Oh, my god," she gasped out. Sarah shook her head.

"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah asked him.

"No, it's got to be children. The God maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls," he said grimly.

Finch walked into the room and they all turned to face him. He smiled at them.

"Let the lesson begin. Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

The Doctor sneered at him, "Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mister Finch? Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are."

Finch raised an eyebrow at him, "You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order? Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good."

"What, by someone like you?" The Doctor jeered.

"No, someone like you. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, standing tall. The Time Lords reborn," Finch said persuasively.

Sarah shook her head vigorously, "Doctor, don't listen to him."

Finch continued and looked at Sarah, "And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh, never wither, never age, never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us."

"I could save everyone," the Doctor muttered.

"Yes," Finch said with a maniacal gleam in his eyes.

"I could stop the war."

Sarah shook her head again, more frantic, "No. The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends."

The Doctor continued to stare at Finch, his eyes glazed over as if he hadn't heard a word Sarah had said. She grit her teeth in frustration and marched over to him.

"What would Celeste think?" she whispered harshly.

He instantly snapped into focus at the question. His eyes narrowed on Finch and he grabbed a nearby chair, hurling it at the big screen. "Out!" He yelled to Rose and Sarah who rushed from the room.

* * *

The Doctor, Sarah Jane and Rose met up with Mickey and Kenny at the bottom of the stairs. Finch stalked after them, the teachers having thrown their disguises so they could fly.

"What is going on?" Mickey asked them worriedly. They all jumped at the sound of screeching coming from the hall. The Doctor hurried them into the lunch room and they turned as Finch marched in followed by the bats.

Kenny's eyes widened as he looked at them, "Are they my teachers?"

"Yeah. Sorry," the Doctor said bluntly.

"We need the Doctor alive. As for the others? You can feast," Finch said with a vicious smirk.

The Krillitanes screeched and swooped at them. The Doctor made them hide under the tables while his mind worked furiously to find a solution. Suddenly, a laser shot and killed one of the bats. Finch screeched furiously.

"K9!" Sarah said in relief.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress," K9 chirped as he rolled into the room. The Doctor jumped up from under the table and ushered them towards the door.

"Come on!" He yelled as they ran towards him. He looked at K9, "K9! Hold them back!"

"Affirmative, master. Maximum defense mode," K9 said happily.

The Doctor ran out the door and sealed it quickly with his screwdriver. He caught up to the others and hurried them into a nearby physics lab.

"It's the oil. Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil. That's it! They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them," he shouted. He turned to Rose and grasped her arms. "How much was there in the kitchens?"

"Barrels of it," Rose said with a shrug.

"Okay, we need to get to the kitchens. Mickey."

"What now, hold the coats?" Mickey asked sarcastically.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school. Now then, bats, bats bats. How do we fight bats?" the Doctor muttered half to himself. Kenny glanced over to the wall and spotted the fire alarm. His eyes lit up and he reached over to pull it swiftly. They all looked at him in surprise but the Doctor grinned and they ran out of the room at his urging.

* * *

The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the barrels and frowned at the readings. He glanced over at K9 who was in the room with him. Sarah and Rose watched him anxiously by the door.

"The barrels have been deadlock sealed. Finch must've done that. I can't open them," the Doctor said, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser, but my batteries are failing."

"Right. Everyone out the back door. K9, stay with me," the Doctor said firmly. He walked Rose and Sarah to the door and held Sarah back for a moment.

"I have to find Celeste still. Don't wait for me, get back to the TARDIS and make sure the kids are safe," he said to her softly. Sarah searched his face and smiled gently.

"I believe you'll find her and everything will turn out all right," she said fondly. She pat his cheek and turned back to Rose, tugging her along despite her protests.

The Doctor shut the door and looked over at the barrels. "Right then!" he said with a clap of his hands. He quickly shuffled the barrels so they lined up a bit better for K9's shot.

"Capacity for only one shot, Master. For maximum impact, I must be stationed directly beside the vat," K9 said solemnly.

"But you'll be trapped inside," the Doctor said as he knelt down next to his former companion.

"That is correct."

"I can't let you do that."

"No alternative possible, Master."

The Doctor looked at him sadly and pat his head. "Goodbye, old friend," he said fondly. He stood up and walked towards the side door leading back into the school.

"Goodbye, Master."

The Doctor looked back briefly and smiled, "You good dog."

"Affirmative!" K9 said happily.

* * *

The Doctor ran down the halls towards Finch's office which was the only place he could think where Celeste would be held. The dread he'd been suppressing since she had been taken was back in full force. He whipped out his screwdriver and quickly opened the door, throwing it open.

His hearts broke when he spotted her strung up on the wall. He rushed over to her and his jaw clenched at seeing her clothing ripped and blood seeping from several scratches. "Celeste," he whispered softly. With a gentle hand he brushed her hair from her face and cupped her cheek as she blinked at him.

"Doctor?" She said hoarsely. Her face immediately turned relieved and she let out a sigh that turned into a sob.

He quickly used his screwdriver to free her from the restraints and she collapsed into his arms. His chest tightened in pain and rage at seeing how weak she was. He kept one arm around her while he tugged his coat off so he could wrap it around her. Once that was done, he scooped her up in his arms and swiftly left the office. He looked down at her periodically as he ran down the corridor towards the school entrance.

He burst through the doors and ran towards the TARDIS. Not a moment later, an explosion came from the school, blowing out the windows. Sarah Jane looked at him, her eyes growing wide at the state Celeste was in.

"My god. What have they done to her?"

"Doctor, what happened?" Rose asked in concern.

"Not now. Need to get her to the medical room," the Doctor said roughly as he pushed open the TARDIS door. He didn't slow his stride as he made his way to the medical room; the TARDIS seemed to sense his urgency and fear since the room was immediately on his right when he entered the main corridor.

He gently set her down on the medical table and began pulling out supplies and running scans on her to check for any anomalies. Rose stood by the door and watched silently for a moment.

"Is she going to be all right?" Rose asked softly. He was so engrossed in reading the results of the several scans that he didn't answer her. Celeste had woken up at this point and turned her head to Rose.

"I'll be fine, just some scratches and fatigue," Celeste said tiredly. The Doctor's head shot up at the sound of her voice and he rushed over to her.

"You're not fine, you've got numerous lacerations, slight blood loss and mild dehydration," the Doctor said, his eyes pinched with pain.

She smiled at him fondly, "As I said, I'll _be _fine. How about you go check on the others while Rose helps me clean up."

He shook his head, "I'm not leaving you." Rose walked further into the room and nudged him aside gently.

"Go, Doctor. I'll take care of her. Make sure it's finished," Rose told him firmly. He looked down at Celeste, his face ragged with guilt and pain. He slumped and stood up but instead of leaving he grabbed a vial from a nearby table, handing it to Rose.

"She should drink that. It will accelerate her healing," he said softly. He gave Celeste one last lingering look before he left the room.

Celeste relaxed slightly and slowly sat up, Rose helping her. She took the vial and chugged it with a grimace. After the contents were gone she tugged off the Doctor's coat and Rose gasped in shock at the state of her clothing and the cuts.

"Yeah, that's why I wanted him out," Celeste said as she threw off the remains of her blouse. Rose gathered up a few damp clothes and they both cleaned off the blood that had dried on her skin. Once the blood was wiped away, Rose turned and let Celeste get dressed again in the clothes that the TARDIS had generated for her. Most of her wounds already showed rapid signs of healing so she had opted not to cover them.

"Okay, I'm good now," Celeste said as she smoothed the shirt over her hips. Rose turned and nodded to her.

"How do you feel?"

"Better. Still a bit tired but that's nothing a short nap can fix. I think I'm going to head to my room and lay down for a minute or two. Thanks for the help, Rose," Celeste said with a smile.

Rose smiled back and they both left the room, Rose turning towards the console room and Celeste towards her own room. Celeste pushed open her door and wandered over to the bed. With a huge sigh she collapsed onto the bed and let her mind wander to the past few hours. Being held captive had definitely not been the highlight of her life but she could deal with it. She was safe now and she knew that the Krillitane were now gone courtesy of K9. She also knew that Mickey was going to ask to come along and that meant…

She sat up abruptly when she realized that the time spent in the other universe was swiftly approaching. Her mind raced as she thought of the implications. She had promised the Doctor that she'd never leave him but if she stayed on the TARDIS when that event happened, she'd be forced to leave at Canary Wharf. She groaned and buried her head in her hands.

The TARDIS hummed at her soothingly. She cracked a tearful smile and looked up at the ceiling. "What should I do?" She asked the ship desperately.

The TARDIS's response was to plop a small bag and a violin case next to her feet. She felt a huge wave of relief at the silent approval to leave them for the time being. She shakily grabbed the bag and slung it over her shoulder, not bothering to look inside. She grabbed the violin case and got up. She walked to the door and paused briefly to glance back at the room she'd come to call home in such a short amount of time. With a determined look, she shut the door and prepared to face the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor stood outside the TARDIS with his hands buried in his pockets. His mind was focused entirely on Celeste and the damage that Finch had done to her. His face twisted with rage and he couldn't help but think that Finch got off easy; he should have suffered for what he'd done.

"Doctor, what about K9?" Sarah Jane asked him softly. He shook his head briefly and looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry."

Tears gathered in her eyes, "It's all right. He was just a daft metal dog. It's fine really." She burst into tears and sobbed into her hands. The Doctor reached out a hand to rub her back soothingly. After a few minutes she stopped her tears and sniffed pitifully. The Doctor gestured to the TARDIS.

"Cup of tea?" He asked softly. She smiled with a nod and they stepped inside just as Rose walked into the console room. Mickey slipped in behind them and walked over to Rose. Sarah looked at the room in awe.

"You've redecorated," she breathed out.

"Do you like it?" the Doctor asked with a smile.

"Oh, I do. Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but um, yeah. It'll do," Sarah said slowly.

"I love it," Rose said cheerfully.

"How is she?" the Doctor asked Rose nervously.

"Fine. She went to her room to lay down for a bit," Rose said with a shrug. He nodded and let out a relieved sigh. He was still worried and he couldn't help the guilt that still nagged at him.

"Oh hey," Sarah said suddenly. Rose and the Doctor looked at her curiously. "What's forty seven times three hundred and sixty nine?" Sarah asked Rose.

Rose shrugged. "No idea. It's gone now. The oil's faded," Rose said, her shoulders slumped.

"But you're still clever. You're meant to be here," Sarah said with a sad smile.

"You and me both. Doctor?" She asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Er, we're about to head off, but you could come with us," the Doctor said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"No. I can't do this anymore. Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead. Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own," Sarah said resolutely.

Mickey perked up a bit, "Can I come?" Sarah looked at him, shocked. "No, not with you, I mean with you. Because I'm not the tin dog, and I want to see what's out there."

The Doctor frowned at Mickey. Sarah rolled her eyes at his hesitation. "Oh, go on, Doctor. Sarah Jane Smith, a Mickey Smith. You need another Smith on board."

"Okay then. I could do with a laugh," the Doctor said with a shrug.

Mickey looked at Rose, "Rose, is that okay?"

Rose looked at her nails. "No, great. Why not?" She muttered. Her mouth was twisted in a frown and her eyes showed her displeasure at the prospect of Mickey being there.

"Well, I'd better go," Sarah Jane said as she turned back to the door. Rose walked over to her and spoke to her quietly.

"What do I do? Do I stay with him?" Rose asked her worriedly.

Sarah Jane looked at her and then at the Doctor. She smiled at Rose sadly, already knowing what would happen. "Yes. Some things are worth getting your heart broken for. Find me, if you need to, one day. Find me."

* * *

The Doctor and Sarah walked out of the TARDIS and stood silently next to each other. Sarah broke the silence with a chuckle. "It's daft, but I haven't ever thanked you for that time. And like I said, I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

He grinned at her, "Something to tell the grandkids."

She smiled but her eyes were sad, "Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now."

His grin fell, "Right. Yes, sorry. I didn't get a chance to ask. You haven't? There hasn't been anyone? You know." He shifted awkwardly.

Sarah smiled at him fondly, "Well, there was this one guy. I traveled with him for awhile, but he was a tough act to follow. Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, it's not goodbye," the Doctor said hastily.

"Do say it. Please. This time. Say it," Sarah pleaded softly.

He smiled at her, his eyes warm. "Goodbye, my Sarah Jane." He grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She laughed lightly as he set her down. He turned around to enter the TARDIS but stopped short upon seeing Celeste standing there. His eyes lit up in relief and happiness but when he saw the bag at her side, his blood ran cold.

"Celeste, what are you doing?" he asked her softly, his hearts pounding furiously in his chest.

She looked up at him and smiled cheerfully in an attempt to reassure him. "I decided that with Mickey coming on board it would be best to have one less person on the TARDIS for a bit. And I have a few things I'd like to do here, people to talk to."

"I don't understand. If this is because I let Finch take you, I swear I'll never let something like that happen again," he said firmly. His hands were twitching anxiously and he ran one through his hair.

Celeste frowned. "This is not about Finch at all. I don't blame you for something you had no control over. This is just about me being a bit selfish," she said soothingly. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them. "You honestly can't get rid of me that easily. I plan on staying with Jackie so unless you plan on never letting Rose see her mum, you'll definitely have me as a passenger again."

He looked at the ground for a moment and then raised his head to stare into her eyes. "You said you'd never leave," he said accusingly.

She chewed her lip, "I know. And I meant it. I will be literally a time jump away. Just, go on a few adventures with Mickey and Rose then you can come get me. Besides, it'll be one less person you have to worry about while you're out gallivanting across the universe."

He continued to stare at her, eyes searching for answers. He reached up and cupped her cheek tenderly. "If this is what you want. But I'll hold you to your promise."

She smiled and winked at him, "So long as you come back. I'll be very angry if you abandon me here."

He grinned, "Can't have that, can we?" He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Call if anything happens. I'll drop everything to come rescue you."

"I doubt I'll need rescuing but I have you on speed dial," she said in amusement.

He dropped his hand from her and eyed her critically. "Have any advice? On where we're headed?"

She pressed her lips together and drummed her fingers against them. Her eyes lit up and she looked at him with barely suppressed laughter. " 'The reactions of the human heart are not mechanical and predictable but infinitely subtle and delicate,'" she said with a coy smile.

He stared at her in surprise before he threw his head back and laughed. "Cheeky girl! Did you just quote Daisaku Ikeda to me?"

Sarah Jane watched the two of them interact and turned away with a discreet smile. He was so different around her; so carefree and unlike the Doctor she had grown to care for so many years ago. She glanced back at them upon hearing their laughter. The Doctor had pulled her into a tight hug and seemed reluctant to let her go.

"All right! All right! You're going to squeeze me to death and that would be counter productive," Celeste gasped out between laughs. He set her down and took a step back, clasping his hands behind his back to prevent himself from taking hold of her again.

She brushed a piece of hair from her eyes, "Ok. I'm off. Be nice to the TARDIS and stay out of my room! No snooping."

He pouted and she laughed at him. She grabbed the violin case and walked towards Sarah Jane. The Doctor stared at her intensely before quickly getting into the TARDIS. She turned and watched as the TARDIS disappeared, a faint tug of sadness on her heart. Sarah gasped as the TARDIS finally left, leaving a metal dog behind.

"K9!" She shouted in disbelief.

"Mistress!"

"But you were blown up!"

"The Master rebuilt me. My systems are much improved with new undetectable hyperlink facilities."

"Oh, he replaced you with a brand new model."

"Affirmative."

Celeste chuckled, "He does that."

Sarah Jane looked at her and smiled warmly, "Yeah he does." She looked at K9 joyously. "Come on, you. Home. We've got work to do." She looked back at Celeste speculatively. "And you. I believe you and I have a lot to talk about."

Celeste grinned and looped her arm around Sarah Jane's. "That we do."


	17. Age of Steel and Music

AN: This chapter will hopefully be a bit shorter than the others because I'm using it as a transition. I know the last chapter was stupid long so I'll try to keep this shortish, hopefully.

* * *

"Yeah, it was nice talking to you too. Bye Sarah!" Celeste hung up the phone and put it on the nightstand in Rose's room. She glanced around the room critically and silently missed her room on the TARDIS. She hadn't changed anything in Rose's room during the two months that she had been staying with Jackie since she knew Rose would most likely be upset if she did. With a soft sigh, she got up from the bed and walked into the flat to find Jackie talking on the phone to one of her friends.

Jackie gave her a little wave which Celeste returned with a smile. She grabbed a cup and began to make herself a cup of tea, her mind drifting as she idly stirred. When she had shown up at Jackie's door, she'd been a little unsure how the woman would react. Jackie had been shocked and had asked, naturally, about Rose. After reassuring her that Rose was fine, Jackie had ushered her to the couch, shoved a cup of tea into her hand and asked question after question. Celeste had answered the best she could but kept a few, harrowing, details to herself to save Jackie the worry.

After Jackie had finished asking her numerous questions, Celeste had set down the tea cup and told her what she had only told the Doctor previously. Jackie had been shocked to find out that Celeste was from another universe where her very existence was made up in a television show. The shock lasted for only a few minutes before Jackie practically demanded details of the future. Celeste had tactfully evaded most of the questions but had told Jackie that Rose would be just fine, if potentially a little heartbroken for a brief time.

After that, Jackie didn't say anything to her until the next day other than to tell her she could use Rose's room for the night. The next morning, Celeste had tentatively entered the kitchen and sat down next to Jackie quietly.

"Why did you tell me?" Jackie had asked quietly.

"Because I knew that you worried about Rose constantly. I wanted to ease your mind a bit; to show you that Rose would be fine and would come out of her adventures with the Doctor as a stronger person."

After that, Jackie had invited her to stay as long as she needed to. The relief had been instant and since then she'd been living with Jackie contentedly. She had been worried about money at first but upon inspecting the bag the TARDIS had provided her, she had found a debit card in a small wallet. She discovered shortly after that the debit card was attached to a bank account that had ridiculous amounts of money in it. Unsure if it was real or not, she'd only taken out enough to chip in for bills and food so she didn't feel like she was cheating Jackie. She still wasn't sure how the TARDIS had managed that one.

Celeste pulled herself from her memories as she heard Jackie speaking to her. "Celeste, are you going to the school again this afternoon to teach the kids?"

She looked up at Jackie and thought for a moment. "It's Tuesday so yeah, that was the plan. Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to be sure so I held off on supper til a bit later. I was thinking of doing a roast tonight!" Jackie said cheerfully.

Celeste carefully masked her expression so she didn't tell Jackie in so many words that the last time she tried to cook a roast, it had been burnt not just on the outside but throughout the entire thing. "Right, um, do you have the roast already?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, it's in the fridge. Figured I'd start it an hour or so before you were to get home," Jackie said with a shrug.

"Why don't you let me put it on before I leave. A nice slow cook for the afternoon and it'll be less work for you. By the time I get back at 7, it'll be done," Celeste said smoothly, mentally crossing her fingers that Jackie would relent.

Jackie scowled, "What, think I can't cook? That I can't handle it?"

Celeste waved her hands hastily, "That's not what I meant! It's just… You're constantly cooking and doing a hundred different things. I just want to contribute, you know, do my share."

Jackie looked at her skeptically. "Well, fine. If that's what you want. I'm going to get ready to meet up with Bev." Jackie sniffed and left the kitchen with her nose in the air. Celeste slumped in her chair in relief and got up to inspect the fridge. She glanced at the time and figured she had a good 30 minutes before she had to leave so she quickly pulled out what she'd need for the roast. With 5 minutes to spare, she popped on the slow cooker and went to grab her bag and violin.

She ran a hand over the case of the violin with a soft smile. She'd been surprised when the TARDIS had given her the Stradivarius, so she'd been extra careful not to flash it around to people who may know what it was. That's probably why she had gravitated towards the auditorium at the local high school rather than a bigger locale. The fewer questions she had to answer about where she'd received such an instrument, the better.

She threw her phone into her messenger bag and fingered the psychic paper idly. With a shrug, she put it in the bag as well. Never knew when you needed to run away from some mysterious organization or get into restricted areas. The thought made her chuckle and think of the Doctor. And as it so often did, her thoughts of the Doctor made her grow sad as she missed the man who had rapidly become her best friend. He'd called her once, about two weeks after she'd left the TARDIS. She'd been surprised and happy to speak to him but when he started talking, she could tell that he was upset about something. She'd asked him how he was handling Reinette's death and he'd only sighed and said he was fine. So she'd let the matter drop and tried to get him to laugh with amusing tales of Jackie. He'd been much happier when they'd hung up but he hadn't called since.

With a sigh, she put on her shoes and grabbed the violin case. "Jackie! I'm heading out now!" She called out.

"Bye, sweetheart! See you later!"

"Yep! Call my cell if you need me!" She left the flat and made her way to the high school. She had some kids to entertain and they didn't like to wait.

* * *

"This is not your world," the Doctor said grimly as he, Rose and Mickey walked out of the dead TARDIS. They looked around curiously, noticing the zeppelins straight off. Mickey looked at the Doctor with eyes that danced with excitement.

"But, if the date's the same, it's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins. Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"

The Doctor looked uncomfortable at the notion. "Must be," he muttered.

"So, a parallel world where…" Rose started but stopped as she noticed something on a billboard.

"Oh, come on," Mickey said, interrupting Rose. "You've seen it on films. LIke an alternative to our world where everything's the same but a little bit different, like, I don't know, traffic lights are blue. Tony Blair never got elected."

"And he's still alive," Rose whispered softly. The Doctor and Mickey turned to see an advertisement with Pete Tyler front and center. "A parallel world and my dad's still alive," Rose breathed out.

"Don't look at it, Rose. Don't even think about it. This is not your world," the Doctor said firmly.

"But he's my dad and…" She reached out to touch the advertisement and jumped when it started to speak.

"Trust me on this," Pete said in the advertisement.

"Well, that's weird. But he's real," Rose said with more confidence. "He's a success. He was always planning these daft little schemes. Health food, drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it."

The Doctor grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, "Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now. Stop looking at it. Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. That is _a_ Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you. You can't see him. Not ever." He gripped her shoulders firmly as Rose continued to stare at the advertisement, completely hypnotized by it.

He let her go with a huff and motioned for Mickey to follow him back into the TARDIS.

* * *

Celeste smiled as one of the kids she worked with in an unofficial after school club attempted to play the piece that they'd been practicing for the past couple of weeks. His name was Kevin and he was surprisingly gifted on the piano. All of the kids who spent a few hours with her every Tuesday afternoon were from different backgrounds and had different musical talents. Jenny, for instance, was quite the singer. Justin was interested in the guitar and pretended to be better than he was so Celeste secretly corrected his mistakes when no one else was paying attention.

Catherine was a cellist who had been playing for years at the behest of her overbearing parents. She came every Tuesday because Celeste let them play whatever music they wanted, rather than 'boring classical' as Catherine had put it on the first day she'd shown up. Jason, Skip, and Beth had all played musical instruments until they each settled on one that they liked. When all of them had asked where the instruments had come from, Celeste had only smiled at them. The one and only splurge she'd made was to donate several instruments to the school on the condition that anyone be allowed to use them in the auditorium every Tuesday.

Kevin finished up his piece with a slightly defeated sigh. Everyone clapped enthusiastically for him and Celeste sat next to him on the piano bench. "Why the sigh? You've improved so much over the past few weeks," Celeste said with an encouraging smile.

"I keep messing up the second run. I can't seem to get it despite how much I've practiced," Kevin said as he hit a few notes in frustration.

Celeste hummed thoughtfully before placing her hands on the keys an octave higher. She closed her eyes and played the run he was having problems with perfectly. As the last note died away they all clapped excitedly and Kevin pouted. "How do you do that? You've only played this piece one other time?"

Celeste smiled at him, "I just trust my fingers. I hear the music in my head and let it flow out. Here, I want you to try something." She grabbed the sheet music and tossed it to the floor. He looked at it and then her in growing dismay. She smiled again and stood up, gesturing for him to put his hands on the keys.

"But I need the music. I don't know the notes," Kevin protested.

"Come on, Kevin. Don't be a baby," Justin called out as he strummed the guitar on his lap. Kevin scowled at him and opened his mouth to retort but stopped when Celeste put a hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me. Trust yourself. Put your hands on the keys, close your eyes, and listen," she said with a smile.

Kevin gave a grumpy sigh but did as she asked. The other kids leaned forward, holding their breath in anticipation. Kevin began to play the start of the run a bit slower than usual but as he continued, his confidence grew and his speed increased. As he breezed through the run and the final note died away, he laughed incredulously. The other kids cheered happily and Celeste smiled, patting his shoulder.

"How did you do that, Kevin?" Catherine asked with stars in her eyes. Kevin blushed and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"I have no idea…"

"He was overthinking it before," Celeste said with a small shrug. She looked at him with a proud grin, "You let your brain take a back seat and let your fingers do the work. You know the song by now it was just a matter of letting it come out."

He grinned and jumped up to hug her gratefully. He released her and sat back down at the piano, playing the run again happily.

"As much as I'd like for you to play that run over and over again, Kevin," Celeste said dryly. The other kids snickered in amusement. Kevin blushed again and pulled his fingers away. "I think it's time we practiced our group piece, yes?"

They cheered excitedly and quickly got themselves organized. Celeste pulled out her violin and set it on her chin, looking at them all expectantly. She nodded to them and they began to play.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose carried trays of food and champagne as they wandered throughout the Tyler house.

"We could have been anyone," Rose muttered to him bitterly.

He shrugged, "Got us in, didn't it?"

"You're in charge of the psychic paper. We could've been guests! Celebrities! Sir Doctor, Dame Rose. We end up serving. Did enough of this back home," Rose continued.

He scowled slightly. "If you want to know what's going on, work in the kitchens. According to Lucy, that man over there," he nodded to a man who was shaking hands with someone. Rose frowned and looked at him sharply.

"Who's Lucy?"

"She's carrying the salmon pinwheels," the Doctor said with another nod, this time towards another waitress.

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?" Rose asked snidely. He shrugged nonchalantly again.

"Yeah. Lucy says, that is the President of Great Britain."

"What? There's a President, not a Prime Minister?"

"Seems so."

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick," Rose muttered darkly. Their conversation ended as Pete stood on the stairs, clearing his throat.

"Excuse me! Thank you very much. Thank you. If I could just have your attention, please?" Pete called out politely.

"Pete! Go on, Pete!"

"Thank you very much!" Pete said with a grin.

"It's about time you did some work!"

"I thought you liked them young?"

Pete ignored them and continued on. "Um, I'd just like to say thank you to you all, for coming on this, this very special occasion. My wife's thirty ninth."

"Don't believe that one," a man called out. The crowd of guests laughed and Pete smiled.

"Trust me on this. And so, without any further ado, here she is, the birthday girl. My lovely wife, Jackie Tyler!"

There was a smattering of applause as Jackie walked down the stairs in a black dress. She stood next to Pete and waved her hands at them to stop.

"Now, I'm not giving a speech. That's what my parties are famous for. No work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black market whiskey." There were a few more laughs and a few glasses clinking. "Pardon me, Mister President. So, yeah, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy," Jackie said with another wave."

Rose stared up at her parents sadly. The Doctor leaned over and whispered in her ear softly. "You can't stay. Even if there was some way of telling them."

"Course I can't. I've still got Mum at home. My real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I. It's just… They've got each other. Mum's got no one," Rose said brokenly.

"She's got you. Those two haven't. All these different worlds, not one of them gets it right," he muttered in exasperation.

Jackie turned back towards the hallway she came from and called out loudly. "Rose! There's my little girl! Come to mummy, come to mummy!" A small dog dashed down the stairs and she picked it up, kissing it on the head. "Yes, good girl! Good girl, aren't you?"

The Doctor tried to suppress his laughter but failed and a few loud laughs burst from his mouth. Rose threw him angry look and he coughed, "Sorry." She huffed and stormed away as the Doctor continue to chuckle.

* * *

Celeste waved her hand as the last of the kids left for the afternoon. She only practiced with them for two hours and the last two she used as her own practice time until the janitor closed the auditorium. She did a check of all the instruments to make sure they'd all been put away properly and was pleased to see that they had been. When she'd first started these practices the instruments were not handled very well by the kids so she had purposefully made them play boring music until they pleaded for mercy. They took care of them after that.

She walked back over to her violin and picked it up, placing it under her chin. She closed her eyes and let one of Chopin's nocturnes flow throughout the room. The music moved with her feelings as she let herself get lost in her memories. She was so engrossed in the music she never noticed the lone older woman watching her silently from the back of the auditorium.

The Doctor pocketed the power cell that he had used against the Cybermen and sighed softly.

"What was that thing?" Ricky asked angrily.

"Little bit of technology from my home," the Doctor said nonchalantly.

"It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" Mickey asked in concern.

"It's on a revitalizing loop. It'll charge back up in about four hours," the Doctor said calmly.

"Right…" Ricky said skeptically. "So, we don't have a weapon anymore."

"Yeah, we've got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him," Jake said, his chin jutted out as he glared at Pete.

"Leave him alone," Rose snapped. "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government and left Lumic in charge," Jake spat angrily.

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete asked just as angrily. His face turned from anger to regret at the thought of his wife. Rose looked at him sadly.

"Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though," Ricky said threateningly.

The Doctor looked at him, jaw clenched in anger, "Talk about executions, you'll make me your enemy. And take some really good advice. You don't want to do that."

Ricky backed off and slumped in his seat slightly, eyeing the Doctor warily. "All the same, we have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since twenty point five."

Rose looked at Pete in horror, "Is that true?"

"Tell them, Mrs M.," Ricky called out to the woman driving.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information. Lumic's private files, his South American operations, the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week," she said as she glanced over her shoulder at them periodically.

"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete asked dryly.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky asked roughly.

"I'm Gemini. That's me," Pete said in exasperation.

"Yeah, well, you would say that," Ricky replied, annoyed.

"Encrypted wavelength six five seven using binary nine. That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services. What do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van," Pete said sarcastically.

Mickey shook his head, "No, no, no. But the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted."

Ricky swallowed and instantly looked nervous, "Yeah, that's not exactly…"

"Not exactly what?"

"I'm London's Most Wanted for parking tickets," Ricky mumbled. Mickey looked flabbergasted while Pete snorted.

"Great."

"Yeah, they were deliberate. I was fighting the system. Park anywhere, that's me," Ricky said defensively.

The Doctor nodded encouragingly, "Good policy. I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, if anyone's interested."

Rose waved, "And I'm Rose. Hello!"

"Even better. That's the name of my dog," Pete said, throwing his hands in the air. The Doctor snickered quietly. "Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side."

"I knew you weren't a traitor," Rose beamed at him.

He looked at her skeptically, "Why is that, then?"

She paused and shrugged, looking away from him, "I just did."

"They took my wife," Pete said morosely.

"She might still be alive," Rose said hopefully.

"That's even worse. Because that's what Lumic does. He takes the living and he turns them into those machines," Pete said.

"Cybermen. They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear pods off, if I were you. You never know. Lumic could be listening," the Doctor said as he held out his hand. Pete took out the devices and handed them to the Doctor who deactivated them with his screwdriver before handing them back. "But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the city and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight."

* * *

Celeste swayed with the music she was playing; this time it was from her own mind rather than something already composed. The music was soft and felt like a gentle caress as she went through the melodies in her head. She didn't stop as she registered the auditorium door banging shut since she knew it was most likely Henry, the kind old janitor who locked up the building at night. She slowly ended the piece and opened her eyes to peer into the dark auditorium.

"You're always so lovely when you play, Miss Celeste. Sure I can't tempt you into marrying me?" Henry asked as he walked down the aisle towards the stage.

Celeste let out a twinkle of laughter and packed away her violin. She put her hands on her hips and looked at him with a coy smile. "Oh Henry. If only you weren't already married to Ellen. Then I'd fall into your arms."

Henry chortled and looked up at her in amusement. "What was that last song called? One of yours?"

She hummed and nodded, "Not sure of the title yet. It just came to me." She sat down on the edge of the stage and swung her legs as she chatted with him.

"Well, it sounded like something was lost but then found," Henry said, his brow wrinkling as he thought about it more.

"Really? Interesting. Lost but found," she murmured softly to herself. She was lost in thought for a moment until Henry spoke again.

Henry snapped his fingers. "Oh, that woman, do you know who she was?" Henry asked suddenly.

She looked at him with a frown, "What woman?"

"The woman who was leaving the auditorium just as I was about to come in and kick ya out. Didn't you notice her? Brown hair, graying a bit, pearl necklace," he described.

She started to shake her head and then stopped, her eyes widening. That description sounded a lot like the woman that appeared in front of Donna's grandfather. But, it couldn't be. Why would she come here of all places. Celeste ran a shaky hand through her hair. "No, I don't think I know her," she said with a thin smile at Henry.

He looked at her curiously, "If you say so. Anyway, you know it's time I kicked you out. I'd let you play all night for a kiss though." He wriggled his eyebrows and she laughed at him. Jumping down, she grabbed her case and leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"That's all you're getting mister!" She laughed out. He grinned and held out his arm to her which she took with a fake curtsey. They walked out of auditorium and Henry kindly escorted her to the school entrance where he bid her a fond farewell.

Celeste waved at him and started making her way back to the Tyler flat, humming the recent song she'd written under her breath. She looked up at the sky which was slowly darkening so only a hint of the stars could be seen. She paused for a moment and closed her eyes, head still tilted upwards as she thought of everything out in the universe that she had yet to see. A slow smile grew on her face and she opened her eyes. She lowered her gaze down so she could continue walking and everything inside her froze.

There, standing in front of her, was the Time Lady.

She felt the blood draining from her face. She didn't know what to say or do to the woman who was thought to be the Doctor's mother.

The woman smiled enigmatically. "You needn't be afraid of me. I only came to see you."

Celeste swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "Why would you want to see me?" She asked hesitantly.

The woman continued to smile. "You think you're unimportant? The TARDIS brought you here. Tell me, do you remember anything from when the TARDIS and you were one?"

Celeste searched her memory for anything that stood out aside from what she knew from the show. She shook her head slowly, "I don't remember anything. Nothing stands out, at least."

The woman tilted her head, "I see. Well, I suppose it won't matter soon enough. I have a message, that I would like you to give him but not until the time is right."

"A message? What do you mean?"

The woman approached her and placed gentle hands on her head. Words whispered in her mind in a language she didn't understand. She squeezed her eyes shut as images followed the words but she couldn't catch any of them for very long. She didn't even notice when the woman took her hands away from her head; the information she'd been given moved so rapidly through her mind.

Once the words and images had stopped her head from spinning, her eyes fluttered open. She frowned but didn't see the woman anywhere. She rubbed her temple idly and let out an exasperated breath. "Figures. Cryptic words then poof! Gone." She tried to call forth some of the information that she'd been given but everytime she tried it slipped away.

She shook her head sharply and continued back to the flat with a little less pep in her step.

* * *

The Doctor put the now active power cell back into the console and the TARDIS lit up. He smiled in relief at the familiar sounds and the familiar hum in his mind. He did some quick calculations and sighed as he registered about five minutes worth of power before they'd be stuck again. He walked to the door and leaned against it casually.

"Rose? I've only got five minutes of power. We've got to go," he said softly.

Rose nodded and turned back to Pete. "The Doctor could show you."

Pete looked at the TARDIS before shaking his head, "Thank you. For everything."

"Dad," Rose said brokenly. Pete's face froze at the statement.

"Don't. Just, just don't," he said harshly. He quickly walked away as Rose watched with her shoulders hunched.

Mickey ran up to the TARDIS with a suit in hand. "Here it is. I found it. Not a crease!"

The Doctor jumped away from the TARDIS and grabbed it happily. "My suit! Good man. Now then, Jake, we've got to run. But one more thing. Mrs Moore. Her real name was Angela Price. She's got a husband out there, and children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world."

Jake nodded firmly, "Yeah, course I will."

The Doctor threw the suit over his shoulder, "Off we go, then."

Mickey hesitated, "Um, thing is, I'm staying."

The Doctor came to a sudden halt and looked at him in surprise. "You're doing what?"

"You can't!" Rose cried out.

"It sort of balances out, because this world lost its Ricky, but there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there," Mickey said, shifting awkwardly in place.

"But you can't stay," Rose said, a bit panicked.

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran, remember her?"

Rose swallowed, "Yeah."

"She needs me," Mickey said softly.

"What about me? What if I need you?" Rose asked desperately.

"Yeah, but Rose, you don't. We had something a long time ago, but not anymore."

"Well, we'll come back. We can travel anywhere. Come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't. I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We… We fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I've got to close it. We can't ever return," the Doctor said sadly.

Mickey smiled and stuck his hand out to the Doctor, "Doctor."

The Doctor grinned and shook his hand. "Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories. And good luck, Mickey the idiot."

"Watch it," Mickey said with a chuckle. The Doctor nodded to Mickey and went back into the TARDIS.

Once inside, the Doctor hung up his suit nd started plugging in coordinates. His mind drifted to a pair of lovely green eyes and he sighed. He was glad she hadn't been here for this; glad for once that she may have used her knowledge to protect herself even if she hadn't warned him. He frowned as he suddenly recalled what she'd told him before he'd left, that quote. He let out a low laugh. Cheeky girl. She had warned him in a roundabout way. He definitely missed her.

Rose burst into the TARDIS and sobbed against the console. He felt his chest clench at her pain and pulled the lever to move the TARDIS. Outside, Mickey and Jake watched as the TARDIS disappeared before their eyes.

* * *

Celeste rinsed off her plate and washed it as Jackie put on a kettle for tea. They'd just finished eating the roast which was thankfully, perfectly done. She finished drying the plate and put it away. Turning, she leaned against the counter and Jackie continued to make the tea.

"I never asked, but do you know when Rose is going to be coming back?" Jackie asked her out of the blue.

Celeste shook her head. "Not sure. I know the TARDIS will appear in your living room though."

Jackie's jaw dropped and she started to speak but froze upon hearing the familiar sounds of the TARDIS engines. She dashed into the living room followed by a surprised Celeste.

"Never knew I could make things happen by saying them," Celeste said in amusement.

Jackie snorted, "In my living room! Honestly…"

The TARDIS engines stopped and the door was thrown open to reveal a distraught Rose.

"You're alive. Oh mum, you're alive," Rose said as she ran to Jackie and threw her arms around her. Jackie looked alarmed but hugged Rose tightly.

"Well, I was the last time I looked. What is it? What's happened, sweetheart? What's wrong? WHere did you go?"

The Doctor stood in the door of the TARDIS and sighed heavily. "Far away. That was far away."

Jackie frowned, "Where's Mickey?"

"He's gone home," the Doctor said softly. He looked over at Celeste and felt every ounce of anxiety bled out of him. She walked up and looked at him, her eyes filled with remorse and understanding. He held the TARDIS door open and she slipped inside. With a quick glance at Rose, he entered the TARDIS silently and frowned when he didn't see Celeste in the console room.

He sped down the corridor and stopped in front of the door to Celeste's room. He pushed it open and he smiled at the sight of her laying facedown on the bed.

"I think you missed the TARDIS more than me. I'm hurt," he said teasingly.

She rolled over and smirked, "The TARDIS gives me fantastic violins and makes my room the perfect temperature when I sleep. Of course I missed her."

"Oi! I have shown you new planets and spaceships and aliens!" He cried out, his face showing his hurt.

She laughed and got up from the bed to walk up to him. "I missed you too," she said fondly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest.

His hearts pounded in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and closed his eyes so he could just enjoy being near her again. They stayed that way for several minutes until they heard Rose calling out for the Doctor. He let her go slowly and grimaced as Rose called out again.

"Best answer her. She probably wants to stay here for a few days," Celeste said with a small smile.

He nodded reluctantly and started walking down the corridor. He paused and looked back at Celeste, "Are you going to be up for awhile?"

She nodded, "Yep. Come by when you're done talking to Rose." She went back into her room, closing the door behind her.

He grinned and cheerfully walked back to the console room, infinitely happier to have her back home.


	18. The Impossible Planet

AN: Yay! Ok! So, I'm skipping Idiots Lantern because if we're honest with ourselves, it's not the best episode in the universe. The only part that is worth it from a fanfic standpoint is when Rose's face taken and the Doctor is all enraged. That moment aside, it's a blah episode. I'm rapidly approaching Doomsday which means all sorts of good things in my mental timeline of the story. GAH. Exciting. I'd also like to thank everyone that has reviewed thus far. It always makes me smile when I see another even though I don't require reviews in order to inspire me to write more.

* * *

"Are you sure leaving Rose behind was a good idea?" Celeste asked worriedly as the Doctor ran around the console. He pulled a lever and smacked the console when the TARDIS wheezed harshly. Celeste scowled at the action and pat the console soothingly.

"Yes, yes. She wanted to spend some time with her mum so I said I needed to recharge the TARDIS and we'd be back once that was done," the Doctor said hastily.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "So, you lied," she said dryly.

He threw her a guilty grin. "I didn't _lie_ so much as stretch the truth."

"Uh huh. You lied. You should be ashamed."

"Bah! She'll be fine. We'll be back in plenty of time for tea. And what about those kids you were working with?"

Celeste rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "I told them when we started the practices that I could leave at anytime. I also called a few of them to spread the message that I'd be leaving but they should still continue to practice."

The TARDIS shuddered and the engines wheezed again. After several minutes, the engines finally came to a halt and the Doctor frowned.

"I don't know what's wrong though. She's sort of queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't want to land," he muttered softly.

Celeste frowned at his statement. "I bet I can guess why. Come on, let's go throw ourselves into trouble as per usual."

He looked at her thoughtfully as they left the TARDIS. "You don't want to leave?"

She snorted, "Course not. Can't call myself a companion of the Doctor if I'm not jumping at every opportunity for adventure."

He laughed and looked at where the TARDIS had landed, "I think we've landed inside a cupboard. Here we go."

* * *

The Doctor shoved open door with the number 15 on it while he looked at their surroundings. "Some sort of base. Moon base, sea base, space base. They build these things out of kits."

"An impossible base," Celeste said offhand as door 15 shut behind them.

He looked at her in surprise, "Is that information? What happened to, 'I won't say anything under any circumstances'?"

She threw him an amused look. "Well, it's not like that really helps you. Besides, we'd figure that out soon enough." She reached over and tugged open door 16. They walked into a larger room with a giant number 3 on the wall.

"Oh, it's a sanctuary base," the Doctor said as he realized what the room was. "Deep Space exploration. We've gone way out. And listen to that, underneath. Someone's drilling."

Celeste looked at the writing on the wall, "Welcome to hell."

"Oh, it's not that bad!" the Doctor said with a wave of his hand.

"No, it says that on the wall. Over there," she said, pointing at the writing. The Doctor looked at it and squinted at the strange lettering underneath. They walked over to it and crouched down to look at the script more closely.

"That's weird, it won't translate," the Doctor muttered as he traced a few of the symbols.

"It's old. Older than the TARDIS. And before you ask, no, I don't know what it actually says," Celeste said bluntly. She stood up and wiped off her skirt. He stood up as well and continued to frown at the lettering.

"So, um, know how several months ago I said that no matter how bad it seems, everything would be okay?" Celeste said calmly. His eyes shifted to her and he eyed her cautiously.

"Yeah?"

"You may want to repeat that like a mantra in your head. Really, you should do that for the conceivable future. I don't want to have to remind you every time things get bad," Celeste said. Her face was a mix of grim determination and wry amusement.

His eyebrows raised to his hairline as he open another door, "You're not inspiring a whole lot of confidence here, Celeste. Now I'm thinking we really should go back."

She practically shoved him through the door, "Not a chance. We're doing this."

They both came to an abrupt halt upon seeing several strange aliens in front of them holding globes in their hands. The Doctor smiled cheerfully at them.

"Oh! Right. Hello. Sorry, I was just saying to my friend here that you have a nice base."

The white globes lit up as they all talked at once, "We must feed."

"You've got to what?" the Doctor asked in confusion.

"We must feed."

"Mantra, remember the mantra. And they're called the Ood," Celeste said, her lips twitching in amusement.

He stuck out his arm and pressed her behind him as the Ood approached them.

"We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed."

The Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver at them and Celeste put her hands on his shoulders, leaning up on her tip toes so she could peer at the Ood. She smiled at the Doctor's protectiveness and watched as the Ood in the front taped the globe.

"You, if you are hungry," the Ood said calmly.

The Doctor lowered his arm a fraction and his brow furrowed in confusion. "Sorry?"

"I'm not hungry but thanks for the offer," Celeste said cheerfully as she skirted around the Doctor.

"Very well. We apologize for before. Electromagnetics have interfered with speech systems. Would you like some refreshments sir?"

The Doctor continued to look flabbergasted, "Um…"

"Open door 18," the computer chimed as said door opened. Another human ran into the room and gaped at them. He pressed a button on the communication device on his wrist and spoke into it rapidly. "Captain, you're not going to believe this. We've got people. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean, two living people, just standing here right in front of me!"

"Jefferson, don't be stupid, that's impossible," a man's voice said from the comm.

"I suggest telling them that," Jefferson said sarcastically.

"I'd say we're just visiting but that would be utter nonsense. We're travelers and we stumbled here. Wherever here is," Celeste said, smiling sweetly at Jefferson.

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" Jefferson said incredulously. His eyes traveled up and down to check her out.

"No idea. More fun that way," the Doctor said cheerfully as threw an arm around her shoulders, hauling her closer to him. She rolled her eyes at the gesture but still felt her cheeks warm at the close contact.

Jefferson raised an eyebrow at the subtle glare the Doctor was throwing him. A female voice came from the comm system.

"Stand by, everyone. Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake point five on its way."

Jefferson jogged over to a door, gesturing the Doctor and Celeste to go through once he had it open.

"Through here, now. Quickly, come on! Move!" They ran down the corridor as sparks shot above their heads. Celeste yelped as a conduit on the wall burst in front of her. Jefferson grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way. He didn't let go of her arm as he continued to haul her down the corridor.

"Move it! Come on! Keep moving. Come on! Quickly! Move it!"

* * *

The three of them burst into a room that had several control panels a couple of minutes later. The room's occupants turned and gaped at the newcomers.

"Oh, my god. You meant it," one of the men muttered.

"People! Look at that, real people!" The woman who had spoken over the comm earlier exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's us. Hooray!" the Doctor said with a wave of his hand.

"Very real. My name is Celeste. And this is the Doctor," Celeste said with a happy smile. She casually grabbed a nearby railing and held onto it tightly.

"Come on the oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be…" the young man poked Celeste in the cheek, much to her amusement. The Doctor latched onto his hand and tugged it away from her with annoyed look. The man flushed slightly, "No, they're real."

"Come on, we're in the middle of an alert! Danny, strap up. The quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds! Sorry you two, whoever you are. Just hold on tight," the man at the console said grimly.

"Already on it," Celeste replied as she grabbed the railing with her other hand. The Doctor grabbed the railing next to her with a concerned look. She smiled reassuringly, "Mantra."

He grumbled in annoyance and wrapped an arm around her waist to anchor her.

"Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?"

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated."

"What's this planet called, anyway?" the Doctor called out.

"Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" The other woman asked incredulously. The Doctor's blank look made her jaw drop. "You really don't know, do you?"

"And impact!"

The entire station shook for several seconds. Once it was over, the Doctor relaxed his grip and looked over at Celeste. "Oh, well, that wasn't so bad." He noticed that she hadn't let go of the railing and he sighed. He barely grabbed onto it again before the shaking began again, much worse than before. A few consoles burst into flames as the shaking slowly died away.

"Ok, that it. Everyone all right? Speak to me, Ida," the man at the center console called out.

Ida nodded, "Yeah, fine Zach."

"Danny?"

"Fine!"

"Toby?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Scooti?"

"No damage."

"Jefferson?"

"Check!"

The Doctor scowled as he helped Celeste up. "We're fine, thanks, fine. Yeah, don't worry about us," he muttered. She elbowed him and he winced, throwing her a mock glare which only caused her to roll her eyes.

Zach typed at the console in from of him, pulling up a schematic of the base. "The surface caved in. I deflected it onto storage five through eight. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link."

"That's not my department," Toby said indignantly.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" Zach asked, his eye twitching. Toby sighed and left the room. Ida checked a few readings nearby.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity fifty six point six. We should be okay," she said over her shoulder.

"So what's happening here? What's the shaking for?" Celeste asked curiously.

Ida looked at her, brows furrowed. "You're not joking. You really don't know. Well, introductions. FYI as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer. Zachary Cross Flane, acting captain, sir. You've met Mister Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartock, ethics committee."

"Not as boring as it sounds," Danny interrupted with a smile.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this is Scooti Manista, trainee maintenance. And this? This is home," Ida continued as she ignored Danny. She reached over and pulled a lever. The screens above them started to pull back slowly.

"Brace yourselves. The sight of it sends some people mad," Zach said offhand. The screens pulled back to reveal a giant black hole, slowly sucking in other stars and planets.

"A black hole," Celeste murmured.

The Doctor's jaw dropped, "But that's impossible."

"I did warn you," Zach said with a sigh.

"We're standing under a black hole," the Doctor said.

"In orbit," Ida chimed in.

"But we can't be," the Doctor said, more hysterical than before.

"You can see for yourself. We're in orbit," Ida said as she gestured towards the sky.

"But we _can't_ be!" the Doctor cried out. He stared at the black hole in growing horror. He reached out and grabbed Celeste's hand, squeezing it tightly. She looked up at him in concern.

"This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that black hole without falling in. Discuss," Ida said nonchalantly.

"This is very bad," Celeste said softly.

"Bad doesn't cover it. A black hole's a dead star. It collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too. Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity, time. Everything just gets pulled inside and crushed," he said in a rush. His hearts pounded loudly in his ears. They should have left immediately. He couldn't fight a black hole; it wasn't something he could protect her from if something happened.

"We should be getting pulled in. We should be dead," Celeste said as she continued to stare up.

"And yet, here we are, beyond the laws of physics. Welcome aboard," Ida said with a smile.

"And stars and solar systems are breaking up above us. Far worse than any storm," Celeste said sadly.

"Yeah, just a bit," Ida said dryly.

* * *

Zach pulled up a hologram of the black hole and the planet they were currently on. The Doctor eyed the hologram and popped on his glasses. Celeste hid a smile at the action.

"That's the black hole, officially designated K three seven Gen give," Zach said, pointing at the hologram.

"In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called Kroptor, the bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out, because it was poison," Ida told them enthusiastically.

"The bitter pill. Interesting name," Celeste murmured as she stared at the hologram. Her thoughts flashed to the large demon like creature at the core and she shuddered.

"We are so far out. Lost in the drifts of the universe. How did you even get here?!" The Doctor asked as he shook his head.

"We flew in," Zach said. He typed in something into the console and another image overlayed on the hologram. "You see, this planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how. We've no idea. But it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there as a funnel. A distinct gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in."

Celeste snorted, "It was incredibly foolish to fly down that thing."

"Yeah, we lost the Captain, which is what put me in charge," Zach said, his head dropping sadly.

"You're doing a good job," Ida said soothingly.

"Yeah, well, needs must," Zach muttered.

"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out," Danny sjaid as they continued to look at the hologram. The Doctor eyed him over his glasses.

"We had fun speculating about that," Ida said cheerfully.

Danny snorted. "Oh, yeah. That's the word. Fun."

"But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power. I mean not just big, but off the scale! Can I?" He asked, gesturing to the console. Ida nodded with a shrug. He immediately started typing furiously while muttering things under his breath.

Celeste watched him fondly. An Ood approached her and handed her a glass, which she accepted with a smile.

"Thank you." The Ood nodded to her and walked away. She idly sipped the drink as she watched everyone work. The Doctor was still shaking his head and muttering to himself so she wandered over to him. Leaning against the console, she watched him type out numerous calculations.

"There we go. Do you see?" The Doctor said as calculations started popping up. "To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds."

Celeste took another sip of her drink. "Which is impossible," she said nonchalantly. The Doctor glanced at her and nodded.

"Very impossible."

"It took us two years to work that out," Zach said incredulously as he looked between the calculations and the Doctor. Celeste let out a chuckle.

"He's very clever." The Doctor looked at her and winked.

"But that's why we're here. This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it," Ida said.

Zach nodded, "It's giving off readings of over ninety stats on the Blazon scale."

"It could revolutionize modern science!" Ida exclaimed in excitement.

"We could use it to fuel the Empire," Jefferson pointed out.

The Doctor sighed and put his glasses away. "Or start a war," he said cynically.

"It's buried beneath us, in the darkness, waiting," Toby murmured, his eyes slightly glazed.

Celeste looked at him warily, "Not sure we should really be finding out what is down there."

"Well, whatever is down there is not a natural phenomena. And this, planet, once supported life eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk," Toby said.

"I saw the lettering written on the wall. Did you do that?" The Doctor asked.

Toby nodded. "I copied it from fragments we found unearthed by the drilling, but I can't translate it."

"No, neither can I. And that's saying something," the Doctor muttered.

"There was some form of civilization. They buried something. Now it's reach out, calling us in," Toby said, his eyes glazing once more.

"And you came," the Doctor said bluntly.

"Well, how could we not?" Ida asked, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was there. Brilliant. Excuse me, er, Zach, wasn't it?" The Doctor asked with a smile.

"That's me," Zach said cautiously.

"Just stand there, because I'm going to hug you. Is that all right?" The Doctor asked as he walked towards Zach.

Zach's eyes shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose so," he said hesitantly.

"Here we go. Come on, then," the Doctor said as he slowly hugged Zach. Celese snickered at the look on Zach's face.

"Oh, human beings. You are amazing! Ha! Thank you."

"Not at all."

The Doctor's smile fell and his face turned serious. "But apart from that, you're completely mad. You should pack your bags, get back in that ship and fly for your lives."

"You can talk. And how the hell did you get here?" Ida demanded angrily.

"Oh, I've got this er, this ship. It's hard to explain. It just sort of appears," the Doctor said hesitantly.

Celeste sighed, "Doctor…"

He looked at her, "What?"

"Doctor, the TARDIS was in storage six," she said slowly.

"Yeah, storage six, in a cupboard," he said with a nod. He paused and his eyes widened, "But you said. You said storage five to eight…" He ran out of the room in a flash.

Celeste grimaced and chased after him. "Doctor! Wait!"

* * *

The Doctor halted at door 16, looking out in horror as he tugged at it. "It can't be. It can't be!" He whirled around and faced Celeste who jogged up behind him. "Tell me it's not true. Tell the TARDIS isn't gone."

She took a breath to try to slow her heartbeat and looked at him, eyes kind. "The TARDIS is fine. Just below us."

He relaxed slightly before turning to Zach who had chased after them. "You've got robot drills heading the same way."

Zach shook his head, "We can't divert the drilling."

"But I need my ship. It's all I've got. Literally the only thing," the Doctor said desperately.

"Doctor, we've only go the resources to drill one central shaft down to the power source, and that's it. No diversions, no distractions, no exceptions. Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that is the end of it," Zach said firmly. He promptly spun on his heel and left the habitation room. Ida looked at them with pity in her eyes.

"I'll, er, put you on the duty roster. We need someone in the laundry." She too left leaving only Celeste, the Doctor and Ood in the room. The Doctor collapsed on the stairs and let out a dejected sigh. Celeste walked over to the Ood and quietly asked him to leave. He nodded and left the room.

Celeste walked over to the Doctor and sat next to him on the stairs. He flicked his eyes toward her, "Have I trapped you here?"

She shook her head and smiled, "You may not realize this Doctor, but the universe seems very attached to you. If fate had a physical presence, I think she would be constantly maneuvering things to make sure you escaped danger and lived to the save day a few more times. You will survive this, I promise. Just be you and it'll turn out just fine."

He stared at her, his eyes searching her face. "You make no mention of yourself surviving," he said softly.

She shrugged, "I honestly don't know that one. I could die five minutes from now for all I know. I'm an unknown variable in this universe. I simply believe in you, and that seems to get me by for the most part."

He remained silent and simply stared at her for awhile. Gently, he reached out a hand and brushed her cheek. "I'll get you out of here, I promise."

She chuckled, "I know you will. So get that brilliant mind working."

He laughed and stood up to investigate the writing on the wall once more. Celeste let out a sigh, relieved to see that he was much more focused, at least for the moment.

Celeste eyed the food the Ood was serving skeptically. She pointed towards one, "I'll have some of that."

The Ood slopped some of the unappetizing fair on her plate. "Would you like sauce with that?" It asked with a tilt of its head.

"Sure, why not. So, do you like it here? I mean, it can't be that glamorous or anything," Celeste said offhand.

"The Beast and his armies shall rise from the pit to make war against God," the Ood said.

She raised an eyebrow, "Could you repeat that?"

"Apologies. I said, I hope you enjoy your meal," the Ood said instead.

"Right…" She said softly as she walked away.

* * *

Back in habitation 3, the lights flickered and Ida glanced up at the ceiling in concern. She pushed the button on her comm and spoke into it, "Zach? Have we got a problem?"

"No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up. Might be worth a look," Zach's voice crackled through the comm.

Ida glanced over at the Doctor who had turned when he heard Zach's statement. Jefferson leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling expectantly. Ida walked over to a panel and pushed a button. "You might want to see this. Moment in history," she said as the shutters pulled back.

The two of them looked up and stared at the black hole. Ida pointed upwards, "There. On the edge. That red cloud. That used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi, a mighty civilization spanning a billion years, disappearing forever. Their planets and suns consumed. Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing." She went to close the shutters but the Doctor held up a hand.

"Could you leave it open? Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

Ida pulled back her hand. "How would you know?" She asked skeptically. He shrugged and sat down on the stairs, leaning his head back to stare upwards silently. Ida shrugged and looked over at Scooti and Jefferson. "Scooti, check the lockdown. Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me."

Jefferson and Scooti both left using separate doors. Ida left as well, almost running into Celeste who had come back from the lunch room. Celeste nodded to her politely and walked over to the Doctor, also staring up at the sky.

"Films always say black holes are gateways to another universe. Not in this case, though," she said softly.

"Yeah, this one just eats," the Doctor mumbled.

Celeste sat down next to him with a sigh. "Long way from home."

The Doctor raised his arm to point at a spot in the sky. "Go that way, turn right, keep going for uh, about, um, five hundred years, and you'll reach Earth."

Celeste smiled, "Like I said. Long way. The phone you gave me won't have a signal. Not that I have anyone to call."

"If we can't get to the TARDIS, if the fate don't work like you say, we'll be kind of stuck," the Doctor said sadly.

"Could be much worse I guess. They have a ship and can get us out of here."

"And then what?"

Celeste shrugged, "Dunno. Find somewhere to live and do what normal people do.

The Doctor wrinkled his nose. "I'd have to settle down. Get a house or something. A proper house with, with doors and things. Carpets. Me, living in a house. Now that, that is terrifying," he said with a shudder.

Celeste laughed, "That's so domestic. You'd go insane. Just think, if you get a house you'd probably have to get a mortgage like all the other adults."

His face dropped in horror. "No."

She laughed harder, "Yep!"

He grimaced, "I'm dying. That's it. I'm dying. It is all over."

"Oh don't be so dramatic. I'd have to go back to normalcy too. I'm probably better at it than you though. I may be young but I know how to balance a checkbook. And I'm more than happy to give you a place to stay if you can't handle it," she said with a warm smile.

His eyes shifted to her, "Oh? What makes you think that I'd accept?"

She hummed, "You don't like being alone. And I promised, remember?"

His eyes softened as he looked at her. "I remember." She flushed slightly at the look in his eyes. The sound of her phone ringing caused both of them to start in surprise. She pulled it out and put it on speaker.

"He is awake," a dark voice said. They looked back at each other for a moment before quickly getting up.

* * *

The Doctor and Celeste walked into Ood habitation, looking around curiously. Danny glanced up from the monitor when they approached him.

"Evening!" The Doctor said cheerfully.

"It's just us," Celeste said with a smile.

"Ah, the mysterious couple. How are you, then? Settling in?" Danny asked in mild amusement.

"Yeah. Sorry, straight to business. The Ood, how do they communicate? I mean, with each other?" The Doctor asked briskly.

"Oh, just empaths. There's a low level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle," Danny said as he gestured to them below. The Ood were sitting on benches, unmoving. Celeste held back her irritation at Danny's words.

"This telepathic field. Can it pick up messages?" The Doctor asked as he looked down at them.

"The Ood serving me at dinner said something strange and then I got another message on my comm," Celeste said with a frown.

"Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing," Danny said with a roll of his eyes. He gestured to the screen next to him. "Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."

Celeste scowled and crossed her arms to prevent herself from harming Danny. The Doctor frowned and looked at the screen.

"Monitor the field. That's this thing?" The Doctor asked, gesturing to the screen that said basic five.

Danny nodded, "Yeah. But like I said, it's low level telepathy. They only register basic five."

The screen showed the basic number rising from five to nine. "Well, that's not basic five. Ten, twenty. They've gone up to basic thirty," the Doctor said in surprise.

Danny stared at the screen in shock, "But they can't!"

"Doctor, look at them. If it's that high, then someone is either shouting at them or they are shouting in their minds," Celeste said as she nodded her head towards the Ood. Danny shook his head frantically.

"But where is it coming from? What is it saying?" He whirled and faced Celeste. "What did it say to you?"

"It said that the beast in the pit was rising up with his army."

"What about your communicator? What did that say?"

"He is awake."

"And you will worship him," the Ood said together. The Doctor, Danny and Celeste all peered down at them from the balcony.

"What the hell?" Danny exclaimed. The Doctor blinked curiously.

"He is awake," the Doctor said once more.

"And you will worship him," the Ood said once more.

"Worship who?" The Doctor asked them. The Ood remained silent and continued to stare up at them. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?"

* * *

The entire base shook violently and everyone grabbed hold of something to keep themselves from falling over.

"Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach," the computer said mechanically.

"Which section?" Danny shouted out.

"Everyone, evacuate eleven to thirteen. We've got a breach. The base is open. Repeat, the base is open!" Zach shouted through the comms.

Danny, Celeste and the Doctor took off running down the corridor. They hurried through door 19 and met up with Jefferson,Toby, and Ida. They could Zach shouting in the comms until the computer finally gave good news.

"Breach sealed. Breach sealed."

"Everyone all right? What happened? What was it?" The Doctor asked hurriedly. He grabbed Celeste's hand and looked at her questioningly. She nodded to tell him silently that she was fine and his face relaxed in relief.

"Hull breach. We were open to the elements. Another couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters," Jefferson said grimly.

"That wasn't a quake. What caused it?" The Doctor asked with a frown. Celeste looked at Toby cautiously, taking a step closer to the Doctor. She quickly cleared her face of the anger and fear that was most likely showing so she wouldn't tip off the Doctor or Toby. The Doctor glanced down at her when he felt her slide up next to him.

"Sure you're okay?" He asked her softly. She tore her gaze away from Toby and looked up at him.

"I'm fine. Scooti though…"

"We've got everyone here except Scoot. Scooti, report," Jefferson said into his comm. No response came back from the woman. Jefferson frowned and tried again. "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report."

"She's all right. I've picked up her biochip. She's in Habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding. She might be unconscious," Zach said through the comm.

Jefferson sighed and gestured to everyone to follow. "Habitation three. Come on. I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on."

"What happened," the Doctor asked no one in particular.

"I don't… I don't know. I was working and then I can't remember. All that noise. The room was falling apart. There was no air…" Toby trailed off, his face pale.

Celeste frowned and bit her lip. The Doctor looked at her curiously but she kept her head down so she didn't see his confusion at her lack of a sympathetic response. They all walked back into Habitation three quietly.

"I've checked Habitation four. Can you hear me?" Ida asked into her Comm. Celeste slowly turned her eyes upward and covered her mouth to prevent the gasp from escaping as she watched Scooti's body come into view.

"There's no sign of her. The biochip says she's in the area. Have any of you seen Scooti?" Jefferson asked everyone.

"No, no, no, I don't think so," Toby stuttered out weakly.

"Scooti, please respond. If you can hear this, please respond. Habitation six," Ida said desperately.

"Nowhere here. Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing," Jefferson told Zach through his comm again.

"It says Habitation three," Zach replied with a confused voice.

"Yeah, well, that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's not here," Jefferson said in irritation.

The Doctor glanced at Celeste and saw her staring up at the ceiling, her eyes wet with tears. He immediately looked up and felt his hearts drop into his stomach. He reached out his arm and pulled Celeste into his chest. "I've found her," he said grimly. Celeste buried her face into his chest and silently cried for the woman.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," the Doctor murmured softly, hugging Celeste to him tightly.

Jefferson stared up at the woman, his face drawn and tired. "Captain. Report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. Forty three K two point one."

Tears leaked from Ida's eyes, "She was twenty. Twenty years old." She cut off a sob and closed the shutters.

"For how should man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods," Jefferson said softly.

Ida sniffed and wiped her eyes. She froze suddenly and straightened. "It's stopped," she breathed out.

Celeste pulled away from the Doctor and smiled at him sadly. He wiped a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb before letting his hand drop. He glanced up at Ida, "The drill."

"We've stopped drilling. We've made it. Point Zero," Ida said softly.

* * *

Ida, now clad in a spacesuit, was reading some information on a console in the drilling area. "Capsule established. All systems functioning. The mineshaft is go. Bring systems online now."

The Doctor marched in, also dressed in a spacesuit. "Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force," the Doctor said as he grabbed the nearby helmet.

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol. We don't even know who you are," Zach said in exasperation.

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on. Look me in the eye. Yes you do, I can see it. Trust," the Doctor said confidently. Celeste chuckled and grabbed the helmet from him. She looked over at Zach and gave him a reassuring smile.

"You want the Doctor to go with her. He's the smartest person here," she said wryly. The Doctor beamed at Celeste who blushed lightly.

"I should be going down," Zach said, running a hand over his head.

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here, in charge," the Doctor said firmly

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach asked grimly. With a sigh he turned and started barking orders. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions! Mister Jefferson! I want maximum system enhancement!"

The Doctor fiddled with the readings on his suit. "Oxygen, nitro balance, gravity. It's ages since I wore one of these."

Celeste shook her head and handed him the helmet again. "Try not to get into too much trouble. Although, headfirst into trouble is practically your middle name," Celeste muttered. The Doctor grinned and grabbed the helmet. He went to put it on but he stopped, looking at her with a soft frown.

"You know a lot about what's going to happen. I've been wondering. What do you know about me? What do you know about what has happened?"

Celeste's eyes grew sad. "Come back in one relatively safe piece and I'll answer any question you give me about the past," she told him softly.

He nodded and popped the helmet on. He looked at her fondly and cupped her cheek for a moment before joining Ida in the capsule. Zach started entering in the descent information into the console in front of him as Jefferson shut the door to the capsule.

"Capsule active. Counting down in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Release."

The capsule started dropping rapidly. Celeste let out the breath she'd been holding and watched the Doctor's progress on the monitor. Zach grabbed the microphone from the main control room and spoke into it after a few minutes. "You've gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own."

"Remember the mantra, Doctor," Celeste said, laughter in her tone.

"Stay off the comm, Celeste," Zach scolded through the comm.

She snorted, "Not a chance. My best friend is down there."

The capsule shuddered violently and dropped more rapidly than before. Zach and Celeste watched their own monitors in alarm and winced as the capsule hit the bottom with a crash.

"Doctor? Everything all right?" Celeste asked with a worried frown.

"Ida, report to me. Doctor?" Zach said into the microphone.

"It's all right. We've made it. Getting out of the capsule now," the Doctor said calmly.

"What do you see?" Celeste asked curiously.

"It's hard to tell. Some sort of cave. Cavern. It's massive," the Doctor said as he turned his head to get a better look. Ida grabbed something from the satchel in the capsule.

"This should help. Gravity globe," she said as she tossed it up into the air. The globe hung in the air and shined brightly, the cavern illuminated so they could see what was inside.

"That's...That's… My god, that's beautiful," Ida gasped out. The Doctor nodded distractedly.

"Celeste, you can tell Toby we've found his civilization."

Celeste tensed and shouted over her shoulder. "Toby, they found indications of the civilization you've been searching for."

"Good… Good, good," Toby muttered. Celeste bit her lip and felt her blood run cold as Toby continued to mutter to himself behind her.

"Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission. Ida, what about the power source," said Zach in irritation.

"We're close. Energy signatures indicate north, north west. Are you getting pictures up there?" Ida asked.

"There's too much interference. We're in your hands," Zach replied.

* * *

In Ood habitation, the Ood had all stood up and were staring at Danny. He'd shouted at them to sit down and relax but they had refused to listen. Danny shakily grabbed the mic and spoke swiftly to Zach.

"Captain, sir. There's something happening with the Ood."

"What are they doing?" Zach asked.

"They're staring at me. I've told them to stop, but they won't," Danny said nervously.

"Danny, you're a big boy. I think you can take being stared at."

"But the telepathic field, sir. It's at basic one hundred. I've checked. There isn't any fault and it's definitely one hundred," Danny said in a panic.

"But that's impossible," Zach said, flabbergasted.

"They should be dead," Celeste chimed in grimly. Jefferson nodded at her statement.

"But they're safe," said Zach hesitantly. "They're not actually moving?"

"No sir," Danny replied.

"Keep watching them. And you, Jefferson? Keep a guard on the Ood," Zach said firmly.

Jefferson grabbed his gun and called to the other crew. "Officer at arms!"

"Yes, sir!" The crewman shouted as he also grabbed his gear. Celeste frowned at the guns but held her tongue. As Jefferson finished arming himself, he gestured to a woman near the Ood in the room.

"Keep watch. Guard them," he said sternly.

The woman nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Is everything all right up there?" The Doctor asked through the comms worriedly.

"Yes, everything's fine for now," Celeste said as she forced herself to calm down.

"Okay… Well, we've found something. It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be trapdoor. Not a good word, trapdoor. Never met a trapdoor I liked," the Doctor said in concern.

"The edge is covered with those symbols," Ida said as she ran her hand over them.

"Do you think it opens?" Zach asked them.

"That's what trapdoors tend to do," the Doctor said dryly. Celeste couldn't help the smile at his comments.

Ida snorted, "Trapdoor doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter."

"Any way of opening it?" Zach asked.

"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism," Ida said with a shake of her head.

"I suppose that's the writing. It'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation," the Doctor said as he also knelt by Ida.

Celeste tensed and slowly turned to face Toby as Zach asked him what the letters meant.

"I know what it says," Toby muttered.

"Jefferson, get away from Toby," Celeste said softly.

"What? Why? And when did you work out the symbols?" Jefferson asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Celeste stared at Toby fearfully. Jefferson's eyes widened at the sight of Toby covered in symbols.

"These are the words of the Beast. And he has woken. He is the heart that beats in the darkness. He is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise," Toby said darkly.

"What is it? What's he done? What's happening? Celeste, talk to me!" The Doctor rambled in concern.

"Jefferson? Report. Report!" Zach shouted.

"Officer, as Commander of Security, I order you to stand down and be confined. Immediately," Jefferson commanded while aiming his gun at Toby.

Celeste spoke into the mic to the Doctor, "He's covered in the symbols. It's how he knows what they mean."

Toby grinned evilly at Jefferson. "Mister Jefferson. Tell me, sir. Did your wife ever forgive you?"

Jefferson froze, "I don't know what you mean."

"Let me tell you a secret. She never did," Toby said, his grin widening.

Jefferson glared at him. "Officer, you stand down and be confined."

"Or what?" Toby asked mockingly.

"Or under the strictures of Condition Red, I am authorized to shoot you," Jefferson said firmly. Celeste swallowed thickly and let out a soft breath, her heart pounding in her ears.

"But how many can you kill?" Toby asked in amusement. He opened his mouth and the symbols left his body. The mist floated into the Ood who all jerked to attention suddenly, their eyes turning red. Toby collapsed and Celeste scrambled away from the Ood towards the door.

"We are the Legion of the Beast," the Ood all said at the same time.

"Celeste? Celeste!? You need to answer me! I'm coming back up!" the Doctor shouted.

"Report! Report!" Zach also cried out in alarm. "Jefferson, report. _Someone_, report!"

"The Legion shall be many, and the Legion shall be few," the Ood said.

"It's the Ood. They've been possessed. Doctor, don't come back up here. Please!" Celeste cried out.

"They won't listen to us," Jefferson told Zach, still aiming his gun at the Ood.

"He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time. Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan or Lucifer," the Ood continued.

"Captain, it's the Ood. They're out of the control!" Danny cried out in alarm.

"Or the Bringer of Despair, the Deathless Prince, the Bringer of Night." A single Ood separated itself from the group and approached one of the guards. Celeste cried out in alarm but the Ood pressed the globe to the man's head, killing him instantly. "These are the words that shall set him free," the Ood said as they all started moving towards the rest of the humans.

"Back up to the door!" Jefferson shouted as they all ran to the door. "Move quickly!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds."

The trapdoor at point zero started to open and the entire planet shook violently. "Doctor, it's opening!" Ida yelled out. The Doctor ran back over to Ida to watch the door open slowly.

"We're moving! The whole thing's moving! The planet's moving!" Zach cried out in alarm as the consoles all started sounding alarms.

"Get that door open!" Jefferson bellowed out. The crewman at the door furiously tugged at the door while Celeste pressed her back into the wall next to it.

"The gravity field. It's going! We're losing orbit! We're going to fall into the black hole!" Zach said in horror.

"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more," the Ood continued.

"Door sealed," the computer chimed. Celeste groaned in frustration and kicked the wall harshly. She watched the Ood continue to approach and mentally started to pray that the door would actually open in time and that this one thing wouldn't be different.

"The Pit is open. And I am free!" A deeper voice said with a dark laugh. Everyone tensed at the voice and looked at one another in horror.


	19. The Satan Pit

AN: I will admit, that last chapter took far longer to write than normal. I just didn't want to end it for whatever reason. Ugh. Anyway, apologies for the delays! I've been busy at work and that was when I was doing a lot of writing. I've also had to find another show to turn on when I'm at home since I write and watch at the same time. I haven't been watching season 8 just yet of Doctor Who, largely because I want a few episodes to be out first. I torture myself by wishing the next episode was out otherwise. GAH. Hence the other shows. If I'm distracted, I won't give in to the urge. Anyway, ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

"Open fire!" Jefferson roared. The guards immediately started shooting the Ood and Celeste covered her ears to block out the noise. The shaking slowed down and Zach told them through the comm that the planet had returned to orbit. With all of the Ood dead, Celeste made her way back to the comm.

"Doctor? Ida? Are two all right down there?" She frowned when there was no response and turned around to look at the door when Danny burst in, hands raised defensively.

"It's me! But they're coming. It's the Ood. They've gone mad," Danny panted out.

Jefferson and the guards lowered their guns. "How many of them?" Jefferson asked Danny who had collapsed against the wall.

"All of them! All fifty!"

Jefferson yanked Danny away from the door, "Out of the way!" Jefferson started to open the door much to Danny's horror.

"But they're armed! It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon."

Jefferson ignored him and opened the door, the guards standing in front of it waiting. The lead Ood immediately stuck the globe to the female guard's head and she screamed as she died. Jefferson started shooting at the Ood trying to come in. With all the Ood dead, Jefferson hastily sealed the doors. Celeste looked at the corpses sadly.

"Jefferson, what's happening there?" Zach asked through the comm. Jefferson sighed and spoke through the drive on his wrist.

"I've got very little ammunition, sir. How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun. With um, all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is," Zach said, defeated.

"Don't give up just yet, Zach. There are still options," Celeste said lightly.

"Given the emergency, I recommend strategy nine," Jefferson said calmly.

"Strategy nine… Agreed. Right, we need to get everyone together. Celeste? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?" Zach asked with a sigh.

"Not yet, I'm sure it's just comm trouble."

"Sorry! I'm fine. Still here!" the Docor burst out through some static. Celeste sighed in relief.

"You need to stop worrying me, Doctor."

"Sorry! Won't happen again. Anyway, it's both of us. Me and Ida. Hello. But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm."

"How deep is it?" Zach asked.

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes down forever."

"The voice said that the pit was open. Doctor, as much as I don't want to say it, I think you should go down," Celeste said hesitantly.

"But there's nothing. No readings, there's nothing coming out?" Zach asked.

"No, no. No sign of the Beast," the Doctor said. "Celeste, are you sure?"

"Yes," Celeste replied firmly.

"Ida, I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately," Zach commanded.

"But, we've come all this way. And Celeste told us to go down," Ida replied.

Zach grit his teeth. "Okay. THat was an order. Withdraw. WHen that thing opened, the whole planet's shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole. So this thing stops right now

"But it's not much better up there with the Ood."

"I'm initiating strategy nine, so I need the two of you back up top immediately, no ar…" The comm switched off and Zach frowned. "Ida? Ida!"

* * *

Ida looked at the Doctor. "Well, what do you think?"

The Doctor stared at the hole. "I think he gave an order." He paused. "But I also think that Celeste told me to go down and if there's one person I've grown to trust, it's her." His mind drifted to their conversation earlier and he smiled wryly. He hadn't always given her words much thought until after the fact but this time he was going to take her advice. He looked over at Ida and grinned. "Let's go, Ida Scott."

Ida smiled and went over to the capsule to grab the repelling gear. The Doctor pressed the button on his comm, "Celeste, we're going down."

Celeste smiled in relief, "Be careful. Just because I told you to go down there doesn't mean everything will pan out like I believe it will."

The Doctor let out a groan, "Honestly, after this, never again."

Celeste chuckled. "I'll give better advice in the future. Maybe." She let go of the mic and turned around to face Jefferson, who was pointing his gun at Toby. "What now?" She asked in mild irritation.

"He's infected. He brought that thing on board. You saw it," Jefferson said, his eyes glued to Toby.

"So you're going to shoot your own people now? You're better than that, Jefferson."

"If necessary, I'll do it."

"Then you'll have to shoot me too. I'm not going to let you shoot him out of fear."

Jefferson slowly lowered his gun. "Any sign of trouble, I'll shoot him."

Celeste sighed and approached Toby slowly. She knelt down and shoved aside the desire to scream at him for killing Scooti. "Are you all right?" She asked him instead.

Toby shook his head with a grimace. "Yeah. I don't know."

"Can you remember anything?"

"Just… It was so angry. I was fury and rage and death. It was him. It was the devil," Toby said hoarsely. Celeste smiled thinly and pat his shoulder. She silently hoped that the Doctor would be okay in that pit.

* * *

Zach looked at the information on his screens about the state of the planet and cursed at Ida and the Doctor for being stubborn. The lights flickered throughout the base before the power abruptly shut down. Everyone inside looked around anxiously.

"This is the darkness. This is my domain," a dark voice said. The monitors throughout the base switched on to reveal images of the Ood. "You little things that live in the light, clinging to your feeble suns which die in the…"

Zach spoke through the comms softly, "That's not the Ood. Something's talking through them."

"Only the darkness remains."

"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six, representing the Torchwood archive. You will identify yourself."

"You know my name," the voice said.

"What do you want?"

"You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave."

"It's him! It's him. It's him," Toby started saying as he rocked back and forth. Celeste eyed him warily.

"If you are the Beast, then answer me this," The Doctor said. "Which one, hmm? 'Cos, the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions than there are planets in the sky. The Archiphets, Orkology, Christianity, Pash Pash, New Judaism, San Klah, Church of the Tin Vagabond. Which devil are you?"

"All of them."

The Doctor snorted. "What, then you're the truth behind the myth?"

"This one knows me as I know him. The killer of his own kind."

Celeste frowned at the statement. "How did you end up on this rock?" The Doctor asked, his voice tense.

"The Disciples of the Light rose up against me and chained me in the pit for all eternity."

"When was this?"

"Before time."

"What does that mean?" The Doctor asked incredulously.

"Before time."

"What does _before time_ mean?"

"Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this universe was created."

"That's impossible. No life could have existed back then!"

"Is that your religion?"

"It's a belief."

"You know nothing. All of you, so small. The Captain, so scared to command. The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife. The scientist, still running from daddy. The little boy who lied. The virgin. And the lost girl, so very far away from home. The child with secrets even from herself who will soon perish in flames."

Celeste froze. That line wasn't the same as the one that she was familiar with. "Doctor… I don't know what that means," she said softly.

"Celeste, don't listen to a word it says," said the Doctor firmly. She bit her lip and remained quiet.

"You will die and I will live," the voice said smugly. The image on the screens was suddenly replaced with a roaring beast, making Danny jump nervously.

"What the hell was that?" He asked frightfully.

Toby shook his head and muttered under his breath. "I had that thing inside my head…"

"What do we do? Jefferson?" Danny asked, his eyes darting around the room frantically as he searched for an escape route.

Jefferson scowled and spoke into the comm, "Captain? What's the situation on strategy nine?"

"The planet, the orbit, the black hole. Everything's true!" Toby cried out, tugging at his hair. Everyone was shouting and talking over each other within seconds, the fear in them escalating. The Doctor shouted at everyone to stop talking but no one listened. Celeste rubbed her temple fretfully as Danny and Toby continued to mutter and cry. Suddenly, the loud sound of feedback came through the comms and everyone covered their ears at the harsh sound.

"You want voices in the dark, then listen to mine. That thing is playing on very basic fears. Darkness, childhood nightmares, all that stuff," the Doctor said, his voice angry and frustrated.

"But that's how the devil works!" Danny countered.

"Or a good psychologist," the Doctor said more calmly than before.

"Yeah, but how did it know about my father?" Ida asked curiously.

"Okay, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine, hmm? 'Cos I'll tell you what I can see. Humans. Brilliant and beautiful humans. Humans who travel all the way across space, flying in a tiny little rocket or a blue box, right into the orbit of a black hole, just for the sake of discovery. That's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing, all of you. The Captain, his officer, his elders, his juniors, his friends, my best friend. All with one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him, then we will get through this," the Doctor said passionately.

Everyone sat quietly as they absorbed what the Doctor had said. Celeste felt her cheeks heat up at his comment about her and cleared her throat loudly. She opened her mouth to say something when a loud noise shattered the quiet and they heard Ida shriek before the comms cut out. Celeste grabbed the mic tightly and spoke to the Doctor in desperation. "Doctor! The cable! Can you hear me? Are you and Ida all right?"

"Comms are down," Zach said grimly. "I've got some life signs but the capsule is gone. There's no way out. They're stuck down there. Looks like they'll be going down afterall."

* * *

The Doctor helped Ida up and stared grimly at the destroyed capsule. "How much air have we got?"

"Sixty minutes," Ida said as she sat up. She glanced at the indicator on her suit and sighed. "Make that fifty five."

He grabbed a bit of the cable and inspected it. "Then we better get to work."

* * *

Celeste slumped in front of the mic. They didn't have much time left and they had to get out of here. There was pounding at the door that made them all turn their heads. "Captain? Situation report," Jefferson asked briskly.

Zach hesitantly checked the door to the control room. "It's the Ood. They're cutting through the door bolts. They're breaking in."

"Yeah, it's the same back here," Jefferson replied.

"How do we have before they get in?" Celeste asked.

"Well, it's only a basic frame, it should take ten minutes," Jefferson said as he scratched his jaw. There was the sound of another bolt being cut and he glared at the door. "Eight."

"I've got a security frame. It might last a bit longer, but that doesn't help you," Zach said dryly.

"Okay. So we need to get out and we need to stop them," Celeste said, rubbing her hands together.

Danny threw up his hands, "How do you propose we do that?"

"Look, the Doctor was right. It cut him off from us because he was reminding us that we can do this. We can think of a way out. Now, first! Lights. We need to direct power from somewhere," Celeste said, her positive energy getting everyone to stand up and listen.

"They've gutted the generators. But the rocket's got an independent supply. If I could reroute that… Mister Jefferson?" Zach said as he typed away at his console. "Open the bypass conduits. Override the safety."

Jefferson walked over to a console himself and started typing in commands. "Opening bypass conduits, sir."

"Ok," Zach's voice crackled through the comms. "Channeling rocket feed in three, two, one… Power!" The lights sparked back to life and Celeste smiled.

"See? There we go. Progress. Now, what about strategy nine?"

"Not enough power. It needs a hundred percent," Zach said negatively.

"All right. We still need a way out. Zach, Mister Jefferson, you start working on that. Think outside the box. Toby, what about you?"

"I'm not a soldier. I can't do anything," Toby replied miserably.

"No, you're the archeologist. So tell me everything you know about the pit," Celeste said as she walked closer to him.

"Well, nothing. We can't even translate the language… Well, maybe. Since that thing was inside my head, it's like the letters made more sense."

Celeste barely restrained her snort of derision. "Ok, well, get translating." She turned to Danny. "As for you, you're in charge of the Ood. Any way you can think to stall them?"

Danny rubbed his hand down his face. "Well, I don't know."

"Think, Danny. The sooner we get control of things here the sooner we can get the Doctor and Ida."

* * *

Ida helped the Doctor gather the cable and wrap it around the drum from the capsule. They worked quietly and efficiently until Ida broke the silence.

"We're running out of air. Guess this is really the only thing we can do. Even if it's the last thing we ever achieve," she said sadly.

The Doctor clenched his jaw. "I'll get back. I'm not leaving Celeste up there alone. I have my own promise to keep."

"Well, maybe the key to that is finding out what's in the pit."

"Well, it's half a good plan."

"What's the other half?"

"I go down, not you." Ida stared at him in shock, her jaw dropping. The Doctor ignored her and continued to work on the cable. His mind hadn't calmed down from the moment the cable had snapped. As much as he wanted to believe Celeste, his worry was nearly overwhelming him and he wanted to get this exploration done with so he could get them the hell out of here.

* * *

Celeste leaned against the railing next to Danny as he tried to figure out a way to stop the Ood. She didn't want to flat out tell him how to do it but a few nudges couldn't hurt. "There's all sorts of viruses that could stop the Ood. Trouble is, we haven't got them on board," Danny muttered half to himself.

"Well, forget that for now. The Ood are psychic. Remember what the Doctor did with the mic earlier? The feedback?"

"Oh, my god! That's it!" Danny typed furiously. The monitor showed a confirmation of what he'd entered in and he whooped in joy. "It says yes! I can do it. Hypothetically, if you flip the monitor, broadcast a flare, it can disrupt the telepathy. Brainstorm!"

Celeste grinned and gave him a high five. "Excellent! What do you need to do?"

"Well, we have to transmit from the central monitor. Which means we need to get to Ood habitation."

"Then we'll go to Ood habitation," Celeste said firmly. She marched over to Jefferson. "Mister Jefferson, sir. Any way out yet?"

Jefferson's gaze flicked over to her for a moment. "Just about. There's a network of maintenance tunnels running underneath the base. We _should_ be able to gain access from here."

"Similar to ventilation shafts. But if they're underneath then I'm guessing there's no air."

"Right. They were designed for machines, not life forms."

"But!" Zach chimed in through the comms. "I can manipulate the oxygen field from here. Create discrete pockets of atmosphere. If I control it manually, I can follow you through the network."

Celeste smiled, "Now you're thinking. Good, so we go down and you make the oxygen come with us as we move."

"You wanted me to press buttons, yeah?"

Celeste chuckled, "Yeah, that'll work. We need to get to Ood habitation so Danny can do what he's planned. Can you work out a route?"

"Yep, I'll get it planned out in just a few minutes." Celeste glanced at the door where the Ood were still trying to break in.

"Better make it a fast few minutes, Captain."

* * *

The Doctor tugged at the cable around his waist as he was stepped to the edge of the pit. Ida looked over at him and inspected the cable as well. "That should hold it. How's it going?"

"Fine. Should work. Doesn't feel like such a good idea now," the Doctor said as he looked down into the pit. "Hmm, there it is again. That itch. Go down, go down, go down, go down, go down…"

"The urge to jump. Do you know where it comes from, that sensation? Genetic heritage. Ever since we were primates in the trees. It's our body's way of testing us. Calculating whether or not we can reach the next branch."

"No, that's not it. That's too kind. It's not the urge to jump. It's deeper than that. It's the urge to fall!" He launched himself into the chasm. Ida jumped in shock and ran to the edge.

"Doctor!" She gasped and ran back to the drum and threw the brake. The Doctor let out a grunt as his descent was abruptly halted. "Are you okay?" Ida shouted down to him.

"Not bad, thanks. The wall of the pit seems to be the same as the cavern, just not much of it. There's a crust about twenty feet down and then nothing. Just the pit. Okay, then. Lower me down."

"Well, here we go then."

* * *

Celeste helped Toby down into the shaft and looked at the door nervously. "Danny! Hurry!"

"Hold on! Just conforming…"

"Dan, we got to go now! Come on!" Jefferson hollered.

"Yeah!" Danny grabbed a computer chip from the machine and he dashed towards them. "Put that in the monitor and it's a bad time to be an Ood," he said with a grin.

"Let's get a move on. We have a lot to do and not much time," Celeste said with an eye roll.

"Okay. Danny, you go first. Then you, Miss Smith, then Toby. I'll go last in a defensive position. Now, come on, quick as you can!" Jefferson said tersely. Everyone piled into the tunnel as the Ood continued to break down the door.

Celeste wrinkled her nose. "Smells in here. You okay, Danny?"

"Yeah, I'm laughing. Which way do we go?" Danny asked.

"Just go straight ahead. Keep going till I say so," Zach replied as he watched their progress on his monitors.

Celeste smirked slightly, "Not sure this is your best angle, Danny."

"Oi! Stop it!" he said, laughter in his tone.

"I don't know, it could be worse," Toby said as he eyed Celeste's skirt.

She whipped her head around and glared at him, "Watch it!"

"Straight on until you find junction seven point one. Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you," Zach said as he ignored their banter. They continued to crawl on their hands and knees until Danny paused at the front.

"We're at seven point one, sir," he said as they all took a moment to relax.

"Okay, I've got you. I'm just aerating the next section."

Danny shifted uncomfortably, "Getting kind of cramped, sir. Can't you hurry up?"

"I'm working at half power, here."

"Stop complaining," Jefferson muttered.

Celeste snickered and watched as Danny shifted again. "Zach, how much longer?" She asked as her nose wrinkled at the smell.

"Just a bit longer." There was a loud bang from behind them and they all turned their heads to look back.

"What was that?" Danny asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"The junction in Habitation Five's been opened. It must be the Ood," Zach said.

"They're in the tunnels!" Toby exclaimed. He pressed further into Celeste in an attempt get away from the Ood.

Danny let out a frustrated noise. "Well, open the gate!"

"I've got to get the air in!" Zach cried out.

"Just open it, sir!"

"Captain, can you tell us where the Ood are?" Celeste asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. I can't tell. I can't see them. The computer doesn't register Ood as proper life forms."

"Well, if we get out of here, I suggest you all advocate for Ood in the future," Celeste said through clenched teeth.

"Open the gate!" Danny demanded as he slammed a hand against it. The gate slowly slid up and Danny rushed through followed closely by everyone else.

"Danny, turn left. Immediate left," Zach said as he continued to guide them through.

"The Ood, sir. Can't you trap them? Cut off the air?" Jefferson asked calmly.

"Not without cutting off yours. Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan. They're going to catch up!"

Jefferson slowed, "I'll maintain a defensive position."

"Jefferson, you can't stop!" Celeste cried out.

Jefferson let out a resigned sigh. "Miss Smith, that's my job. You've got your task, now see to it."

"You heard what he said, now shift," Toby said firmly. Jefferson braced himself and started firing at the Ood coming down tunnel.

"Eight point two. Open eight point two, Zach!" Danny shouted.

"I've got to aerate it," Zach bit out. The shooting continued behind them and Danny starting banging on the gate frantically. Celeste grabbed his hand and scolded him gently.

"Zach, get it open!" Toby yelled.

"Jefferson, I've got to open eight point two by closing eight point one. You've got to get past the junction. Now move! That's an order, now move!"

Jefferson had pulled out his pistol but it clicked, indicating it was out of ammo. He looked at the gun before tossing it aside and retreating down the tunnel. The gate next to Danny started to open.

"That's it! Come on!" Danny said excitedly as he scrambled through. Celeste and Toby followed him just as quickly.

"Danny, turn left and head for nine point two. That's the last one. Jefferson, you've got to move faster. John, move!"

Celeste looked back, her eyes sad as she spotted Jefferson trying to reach the door in time. "Mister Jefferson!"

Toby waved his hand, "Keep going!" Celeste brought a hand to her mouth as the gate shut just as Jefferson reached it. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a shuddering breath.

"Regret to inform, sir. I was a bit slow. Not so fast, these days," Jefferson said softly.

Zach gripped the console in front of him. "I can't open eight point one, John. Not without losing air for the others."

Jefferson sat against the gate and sighed. "And quite right too, sir. I think I've bought them a little time."

A few tears fell from Celeste's eyes as she listened to the conversation. Toby and Danny had quieted, already mourning the loss of their friend.

"There's nothing I can do, John. I'm sorry," Zach said, his voice cracking.

Jefferson smiled, "You've done enough, sir. Made a very good captain under the circumstances. May I ask, if you can't add oxygen to this section, can you speed up the process of its removal?"

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Well, if I might chose the manner of my departure, sir, lack of air seems more natural than, well, let's say death by Ood. I'd appreciate it, sir!" The Ood rounded the corner and approached Jefferson who had tensed.

Zach paused and reached for a button, "God speed, Mister Jefferson."

"Thank you, sir."

Zach pressed the necessary combination and the air was removed from the tunnel. He watched as Jefferson's spot on the monitor died away and he dropped his head sadly. "Report Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD deceased with honours. 43 K two point one."

"Zach, we're at the final junction, nine point two. And um, if my respects could be on record. He saved our lives," Danny said softly.

"Noted. Opening nine point two, now," Zach said briskly. The gate started to open and Celeste backed away from it hastily as she spotted a few Ood on the other side. Danny let out a yell as he stumbled away from the gate as well.

"Zach! Lower nine point two! The Ood are there! Hurry!" Celeste yelled out. The gate was quickly lowered and Toby groaned.

"We can't go back! The gang point's sealed off. We're stuck!"

Celeste looked up and spotted the grate the led into the corridor above them. She shoved it aside and Danny helped her up through. "Come on! Up!" She barked out as she helped Danny up. They both looked down for Toby and Celeste closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she knew the beast was silently telling the Ood to back off. Toby appeared at the bottom and raised his arms frantically.

"Help me! Oh, my god. Help me up!" Danny and Celeste grab his arms and haul him up into the corridor. She slams the grate back down and they run down the corridor towards Ood Habitation. Danny threw open the door and rushed to the console.

"Hurry Danny!" Celeste said as she anxiously shifted from foot to foot. Danny searched his pockets for the chip and upon finding it, he slammed it into the console. The signal was sent out and the Ood collapsed on the floor, clutching their heads and writhing in pain. "You did it! Thank goodness!" Celeste laughed as she hugged Danny. She quickly spoke into the mic to Zach.

"Zach, it's done. The Ood are down. We've got to see if we can help Ida and the Doctor."

He quickly opened the door to the control room, "I'm on my way."

* * *

The Doctor was still being lowered into the pit, which was now pitch black around him. "You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe, in the myths and legends of a million worlds. Earth, Draconia, Velconsadine, Daemos. The carving on the wall. It's the same image, over and over again. Maybe that idea came from somewhere, bleeding through. The thought at the back of every sentient mind," he said as he craned his neck to see if he could spot anything around him.

Ida frowned, "Emanating from here?"

"Could be."

"But if this is the original, does that make it real? Does that make it the actual devil, though?"

"Well, if that's what you want to believe. Maybe that's what the devil is, in the end. An idea." The Doctor jerked to a halt as the last bit of cable was reached. The Doctor swayed in the air and looked down, squinting into the darkness.

"Well, that's it. That's all we've got. You getting any sort of readout?"

"Nothing. Could be miles to go, yet. Or could be thirty feet. No way of telling." He paused as he pondered his own statement. "I could survive thirty feet."

"Oh no you don't! I'm pulling you back up." She started the drum in reverse but the Doctor stopped it using his screwdriver. "What're you doing?"

"You bring me back, then we're just going to sit there and run out of air. I've got to go down. She told me to go down so that's what I'm going to do."

"But you can't! Doctor, you can't. I'm sure she didn't mean to possibly kill yourself. You can't just leave her. I can tell how much you care about her."

The Doctor smiled grimly, "Call it an act of faith. I believe in her."

"But… I don't want to die on my own."

"I know." He started to unclip the clasps on his suit. "I didn't ask. Have you got any sort of faith?"

"Not really. I was brought up Neo Classic Congregational, because of my mum. She was… My old mum… But no, I never believed."

"Neo Classics, have they got a devil?"

"Not so much. Just, um, the things that men do."

"Same thing in the end."

"What about you?"

The Doctor paused, "I believe… I believe I haven't seen everything. I don't know. It's funny, isn't it? The things you make up. The rules. If that thing had said it came from beyond the universe, I'd believe it, but before the universe? Impossible. Doesn't fit my rule. Still, what's why I keep traveling. To be proved wrong." He reached the last clasp "Thank you, Ida."

"Don't go!" She cried out as she peered over the edge into the pit.

"If they get back in touch, if you talk to Celeste, just tell her… Tell her... " He smiled sadly. "Oh, I think she knows." He released the last clasp and fell into the darkness below.

* * *

Celeste's voice crackled through the comms once Zach had gotten them working again. "Doctor, are you there? Ida, can you hear me?"

"He's gone," Ida whispered.

Celeste's breath caught in her throat and she forced herself to calm down. "You mean he went down, right? Like I told him to?"

"He fell into the pit. And I don't know how deep it is. Miles and miles and miles."

"So he unhooked himself and let himself fall, is that what you're saying Ida?"

"I couldn't stop him. He said your name, he said, you'd know…"

Zach took the mic from Celeste. "I'm sorry. Ida? There's no way of reaching you. No cable. No back up. You're ten miles down. We can't get there."

"You should see this place, Zach. It's beautiful. Well, I wanted to discover things, and here I am."

Zach licked his lips, "We've got to abandon the base. I'm declaring this mission unsafe. All we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again."

"But we'll never find out what it was!" Ida exclaimed.

"Well, maybe that's the best."

"Yeah…"

"Officer Scott…" Zach started to say.

"It's all right. Just go. Good luck," Ida said with a tearful smile.

"And you," he said as he released the mic. He pulled himself up and turned to Danny and Toby. "Danny, Toby, close down the feed links. Get the retrotropes online, then get to the rocket and strap yourselves in. We're leaving."

Celeste closed her eyes and let out a breath. She felt her heart beating in her chest and tried to think positively. She knew he'd tell her to go and although part of her wanted to be stubborn, she also knew that the planet was going to fall into the black hole so staying would be suicide. Her eyes opened and she looked over at Zach who had been eyeing her warily.

"Let's get out of here."

His eyes widen in surprise but he nodded in agreement. They all start heading down the corridor past the Ood still on the floor. One of the Ood twitched as they passed it and Toby looked at it fearfully.

"Did that one just move?"

"It's the telepathic field. It's reasserting itself," Danny said.

"Move it! Get to the rocket. Go!" Zach shouted and they all sprinted down the corridor.

* * *

At the bottom of the pit, the Doctor laid face down with a broken faceplate. He woke up slowly and stood, looking around in surprise. "I'm breathing." He looked back up into the inky darkness. "Air cushion to support the fall. You can breath down here, Ida. Can you hear me, Ida?" He tapped the side of his helmet with frown. The sound of a rocket taking off made him raise his face up again.

"A rocket…" He murmured. "You better be on that thing, Celeste." He took out his torch and started inspecting the paintings on the wall. "The history of some big battle. Man against Beast. I don't know if you're getting this, Ida. Hope so. Anyway, they defeated the Beast and imprisoned it." He turned and spotted two urns on pedestals, the same two that were depicted on the wall he was standing next to. He approached the pedestals, his mind working furiously to figure out the puzzle.

"Or maybe, that's the key." He touched one of the urns and both lit up. "Or the gate, or the bars." A huge horned creatures woke up and roared at him. It tugged at the chains that held it to the wall but they didn't budge. The Doctor stared up at it in silent contemplation.

* * *

In the rocket, Toby had started laughing a bit maniacally as they flew away from the planet. Danny looked at him like he was crazy. "What's the joke?" Danny asked with a raised brow. Celeste glanced over at the bolt gun that was within arms reach and clenched her fist tightly.

"Just, we made it. We escaped. We actually did it," Toby said as he continued to laugh.

"We'll see," Celeste muttered.

"We're not out of it yet. We're still the first people in history to fly away from a black hole. Toby, read me the stats," Zach commanded as he flew the rocket.

Toby grinned evilly, "Gravity funnel holding, sir. Always holding."

Celeste glared out the window and waited patiently.

* * *

The Doctor continued to stare up at the giant beast in front of him. "I accept that you exist. I don't have to accept what you are, but your physical existence, I'll give you that." The beast roared at him in response. The Doctor frowned thoughtfully. "I don't understand. I was expected down here. I was given a safe landing and air. You need me for something. What for? Have I got to, I don't know, beg an audience? Or is there a ritual? Some sort of incantation or summons or spell? All these things I don't believe in, are they real? Speak to me! Tell me!"

The beast merely snarled at him in response. The Doctor looked more confused. "You won't talk. Or you can't talk. Oh, hold on, wait a minute, just let me… Oh! No. Yes! No. Think it through. You spoke before. I heard your voice. An intelligent voice. No, more than that. Brilliant. But, looking at you now, all I can see is Beast. The animal. Just the body. You're just the body, the physical form. What's happened to your mind, hmm? Where's it gone? Where's that intelligence?" The Doctor froze and looked up into the inky blackness in horror. "Oh no."

He started to pace, speaking impossibly fast. "You're imprisoned, long time ago. Before the universe, after, sideways, in between, doesn't matter. The prison is perfect. It's absolute, it's eternal. Oh, yes! Open the prison, the gravity field collapses. This planet falls into the black hole! You escape, you die! Brilliant! But that's just the body. The body is trapped, that's all. The devil is an idea. In all those civilizations, just an idea. But an idea is hard to kill. An idea could escape. The mind. The mind can escape! Oh, but that's it!" The Doctor spun and stalked up to the beast he leaned down to glare at the Doctor.

"You didn't give me air, your jailers did. They set this up all those years ago! They need me alive, because if you're escaping, then I've got to stop you. If I destroy your prison, your body is destroyed. Your mind with it." The Doctor grabbed a rock on the ground and stormed up to an urn to smash it to pieces. He raised the rock but froze when he was struck by another thought. The rock fell from his now limp hand as he turned back to the beast.

"But the, you're clever enough to use this whole system against me. If I destroy this planet, I destroy the gravity field. The rocket. The rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole. I have to sacrifice Celeste." The beast started to laugh at the Doctor's plight.

* * *

"You know, it doesn't make a bit of sense. There's a thousand ways it could have killed us but it didn't. It practically herded us to the rocket. Got us all to panic and flee. Like it wanted us to get away," Celeste said calmly as she continued to stare out the window. She glanced at the gun again out of the corner of her eye.

Toby scowled, "Hey, Celeste, do us a favor. Shut up." Celeste turned her head and stared at him flatly. "Almost there. We'll be beyond the reach of the black hole in forty, thirty nine…"

* * *

The Doctor felt his hearts pounding hard in his chest. Thoughts of Celeste drifting through his mind, the possibility of never seeing her again nearly sent him to his knees. "So, that's the trap. Or the test, or the final judgment, I don't know. But if I kill you, I kill her. Except that implies in this big grand scheme of Gods and Devils that she's just a victim. You couldn't have possibly predicted that she would know exactly what was going to happen. Wouldn't have seen that she told me, explicitly, to come down here. And you also wouldn't have know that in this universe, I believe in her more than anything."

With that, he grabbed the rock again and smashed the urn. The Beast bellowed in fury as the entire planet began to shake.

* * *

The rocket's progress was suddenly halted and it started to shake violently. Celeste felt a slow grin show on her face as everyone else in the cabin started to panic.

"What happened? What was that?" Danny asked frantically.

"What's he doing? What is he doing?!" Toby said angrily. Celeste let out a harsh laugh. His head whipped around and he glared at her. Celeste's eyes danced in amusement.

"You clearly do not know the Doctor if you honestly think that he'd let you escape. You picked the wrong opponent," she said with a shake of her head. Toby snarled at her and gripped the armrests of his chair tightly.

"We've lost the funnel. Gravity collapse! We can't escape. We're headed straight for the black hole!" Zach cried out.

"The planet's moving, it's falling into the black hole," Celeste said calmly.

Toby's face was once again covered in the black symbols and his red eyes burned with rage. "I am the rage!" Toby snarled out.

"Toby is no longer himself. We need to do something," Celeste called out.

"And the bile and the ferocity. I am the Prince and the Fall and the enemy. I am the sin and the fear and the darkness," Toby continued.

"It's him! It's him!" Danny shouted as he leaned as far away from Toby as possible.

"Stay where you are! The ship's not stable!" Zach shouted as the ship continued to shake. Toby breathed out fire and Zach looked back at him in horror. "What is he? What the hell is he?!"

"I shall never die. The thought of me is forever. In the bleeding hearts of men, in their vanity and obsession and lust. Nothing shall ever destroy me. Nothing!"

Celeste snorted and grabbed the bolt gun, aiming it at the front of the rocket. "Yeah, well, how about you play with a black hole and get back to us on how that worked out?" She shot the glass out and swiftly unlatched Toby's seatbelt. He roared as he was sucked into space, his red eyes still burning with his rage. Celeste gave him a cheeky wave as Zach shut the emergency shield.

"We've still lost the gravity funnel. We can't escape the black hole," Zach said in resignation.

Celeste smiled, "We'll be fine. Just be calm and trust the Doctor."

"The planet's lost orbit! It's falling in!" Danny shouted. The planet was sucked into the black hole as they watched in a mixture of horror and calm. "The planet's gone. I'm sorry, but there is no rescue now."

"Accelerate… I did my best. But hey! The first human beings to fall inside a black hole. How about that? History," Zach said with false cheer. Celeste shook her head and continued to smile. The rocket's shaking slowed down causing Zach to look at the instruments in front of him.

"About time. Honestly, you'd never guess he likes to be dramatic," Celeste said with a chuckle.

"We're turning. We're turning around. We're turning away!" Zach cried out in shock and glee.

"Sorry about the hijack, Captain. This it the good ship TARDIS," the Doctor's voice said as he spoke through the comms. "Now, first things first. Have you got a particular auburn haired young woman on board?"

"I'm here, you big dummy. You like to cut things close don't you?"

The Doctor laughed, "I'm just towing you home. Gravity schmavity. My people practically invented black holes." Celeste rolled her eyes and mouthed the word dramatic. "Well, in fact, they did. In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and Captain? Can we do a swap? Say, if you give me Celeste Smith, I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

"She's alive!" Zach cried out. He laughed happily and slumped in relief. Danny whooped again.

"Yes! Thank god!"

"Yeah! Bit of oxygen starvation, but she should be all right. I couldn't save the Ood. I only had time for one trip. They went down with the planet." They all grew quiet for a moment as they thought of their fallen friends and the Ood. "Ah! Entering clear space. End of the line. Mission closed."

* * *

Celeste opened the door to the TARDIS and walked inside with a happy sigh. She approached the console and said a silent hello to the TARDIS who hummed at her happily. The Doctor idly pushed a few buttons as he watched Celeste say hello the TARDIS, a soft smile on his face. She turned to him and put her hands on her hips. "You took your sweet time rescuing us. Did you decide to take a trip to Barcelona beforehand?" She asked, a smile playing at her lips.

He snorted and leaned against the console with his arms crossed. "Well, I could have gone to Earth and back but I didn't want to leave you in suspense for too long."

She dropped her arms from her hips and launched herself at him with a laugh. He hugged her tightly before letting her go and looking her up and down. "You're all right though? No damage from the Beast or the Ood?"

She shook her head, "Nope, completely fine."

"Good! Now then. Zach? We'll be off, now. Have a good trip home. And the next time you get curious about something… Oh, what's the point. You'll just go blundering in. The human race," he said with a shake of his head.

"But Doctor, what did you find down there? That creature, what was it?" Ida asked curiously.

"I don't know. Never did decipher that writing. But that's good. Day I know everything? Might as well stop."

"It doesn't matter what it was or what the writing said. Just need to know that it's gone and we'll never see it again. We have enough demons to deal with already without one claiming to be the first one ever," Celeste said dryly. "Although, it did say some things that concerned me…"

"It lied. Everything it said was a lie. Right, onwards, upwards, Ida? See you again, maybe!" The Doctor said as he started to power up the TARDIS.

"I hope so," Ida said wistfully. "Hang on though, Doctor. You never really said. You two, who are you?"

The Doctor looked at Celeste who gave him a wink. He grinned, "Oh, the stuff of legends." The TARDIS disappeared back into the time vortex, leaving the others to make their way back to Earth.

Celeste sat at the piano in the music room playing a song that had been in her head since they had landed on the impossible planet. The Doctor walked in and sat next to her, watching her play silently. She sighed and let the last few notes fade away, anticipating the questions she was sure he had about what she knew of the past.

"I only want to know one thing," he murmured, his eyes peering at her intensely. She nodded silently and waited for him to ask. "Do you… Know my name?"

She chewed her lip and slowly shook her head, "No, your name is never revealed in the show. The only thing that we ever learn is what your nickname at the academy was. Theta Sigma. Other than that, complete mystery. I'm pretty sure, however, you've said several times that humans wouldn't even be able to pronounced the first part of your name."

He continued to stare at her silently as he absorbed what she'd just said. "Say it again," he whispered hoarsely.

"Which part?" She asked in confusion.

"The name I went by at the academy."

She smiled, "Theta Sigma."

His eyes grew misty as he was bombarded by memories of the past. After a few minutes, he focused back onto her and smiled happily. "Don't go spreading that around. This is between you and me."

"Secret's safe with me! Now, should we head back to Earth and see if Rose is ready to head out?"

With a sigh, he stood up from the bench and held out a hand to her. She chuckled and placed her hand in his so he could help her up. He gently tugged her up but didn't release her hand; instead he pulled her closer until they were a fraction of an inch away from one another. They stared at each other a moment before leaving the music room hand in hand.


End file.
